


Dream You To Life

by hailynx



Series: Challenges, Events & Exchanges [10]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Background Relationships, Caffeine Addiction, Caffeine Withdrawal, Coffee, Coffee Addiction, Comfort, Confessions, Dreams, First Impressions, First Meetings, Firsts, Flowers, Fox Rain, Fox Wedding, Friendship, Interns & Internships, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Kitsune, Kitsune no Yomeiri, Love Confessions, Lucid Dreaming, M/M, Meddling, Mythology - Freeform, Ocean, Oisuga Week, Oisuga Weekend, Past Lives, Pre-Relationship, Profanity, Rain, Reincarnation, Sleep, Snapchat, Social Media, Study Group, Studying, Supernatural Elements, Teasing, Travel, sunshowers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-29
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-17 00:36:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 26,447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5847079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hailynx/pseuds/hailynx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for <a href="http://oisuga-week.tumblr.com/prompts">Oikawa/Sugawara Week, Weekend 2015 & Week 2016</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 1: Universe | Firsts

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Haikyuu!!  
> Please do not translate or repost/reupload.

When Tooru wakes, he actually feels even more tired than when he was awake seven hours ago. Still half asleep, Tooru pulls himself upright and sits in his bed for a good ten minutes, basking in the sunshine that filters through his curtains. Sometimes, Tooru wonders what actual sleep is like. It’s been so long, Tooru can barely remember the last time he had a good night’s sleep. When the snooze function on his alarm goes off, Tooru reaches over to silence it. Groaning, Tooru pulls himself out of bed and makes his bed before stepping out into the living room that he shares with Hajime.

 

“Asshole,” Hajime throws Tooru a glare as soon as they meet, but Hajime looks just as ghastly as Tooru does. “I’ve got a test today.”

 

“Sorry,” Tooru mumbles in a yawn. “Didn’t mean to do that last night.”

 

Tooru never means to but it’s like second nature. Walking into Hajime’s dream at night is like coming home. But the act itself is actually out of Tooru’s control. It makes sleep difficult. Tooru has always tried to avoid invading other people’s privacy but no matter what, he’ll always end up in a dream that is not his. The dreams that Tooru tends to visit generally aren’t nice and even if they are, they don’t last. None of them allow him to wake feeling refreshed. It’s been a curse to him ever since he could remember and understand it.

 

Tooru is lucky that he has Hajime as a best friend. Most of the time Hajime is kind about Tooru’s invasion of his privacy but there are days when it’s just downright annoying. Although he’s probably sick of it, Hajime never tells Tooru to go and bother someone else. For that, Tooru is always grateful and he flashes a sloppy grin as he offers to make breakfast.

 

“Only if it’s not toast,” Hajime says, stepping into the bathroom and locking the door.

 

Despite Hajime’s threat, toast is what ends up on the breakfast table.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s not ideal for learning, but Tooru is used to falling asleep half way through his lectures. Most of the time, Tooru tries to stay awake, but the university core ethics unit is boring and Tooru has Hajime to help out. Drifting off on his own, Tooru leans on his palms and stares at the plain PowerPoint on the overhead projector and just sighs until he stops, having fallen asleep.

 

Sleep during the day is the most peaceful kind, so Tooru is a little bit annoyed at the person trying to nudge him awake. _It hasn’t even been five minutes yet_ , Tooru reasons sleepily. Whining in his throat, Tooru swats away the hand that’s shaking him awake and buries his head further into the desk.

 

“Hey… wish I could let you sleep, but that’s the fire alarm—”

 

“Urgh,” Tooru whines now that he hears the blaring. “It’s probably a test run…”

 

“Sorry,” Tooru’s unknown classmate kindly informs. “It’s actually the real deal.”

 

The words take a while to sink in but when the fire alarm continues ringing alongside an announcement to evacuate, Tooru gives up on taking his nap. Begrudgingly, Tooru shuffles out of his seat and looks up at his classmate with a glare but falters. Tooru isn’t sure what it is that he is seeing. He must be dreaming, because the stranger is a boy with a gentle smile—enough to be angelic. Tooru stares, taking in the blur of a face that’s slowly becoming clearer. He might be even prettier than Tooru himself—okay, definitely dreaming.

 

“I must be dreaming,” Tooru mutters to himself, “Angels don’t exist.”

 

The laughter that bursts out of the pretty boy’s mouth is almost contagious, “C’mon, we better get you out of here.”

 

Tooru is helped with the evacuation. All of his items are neatly returned to his bag and the bag is then put around his shoulder. Tooru doesn’t usually rely on others like this, but he’s so tired and this is person must really be an angel because Tooru finds himself allowing all this help. It’s odd so Tooru squints his eyes and stares, trying to memorise location of the mole on the face before him. The angel laughs again, but glides his fingers onto Tooru’s hand and drags him along.

 

Now that Tooru is up, he registers the clarity of fire alarm blaring in the PA system. Tooru picks up his pace, but his steps are always behind. It’s like this dream gives Tooru no control. Tooru is still being dragged along by the angel with soft silvery hair. Tooru stares at the angel’s back and watches as the angel’s hair flutter before his eyes. Even the back view is pretty. Tooru is certain that he’s dreaming.

 

Once the air hits Tooru in the face, he is forced to feel awake. Coming to, Tooru finds himself alone on the grass lawn in front of the Science Building. The warmth that had been cradling his hand is gone and Tooru looks up to find smoke rising behind the building. Tooru stares, opened mouthed as he reaches a hand up to his cheeks and pinches himself.

 

“Ouch!” Tooru exclaims.

 

“Are you still half asleep?” Hajime’s voice jerks him.

 

“Ah, it was just you Iwa-chan?” Tooru turns and stares at Hajime before turning his lips upside down, “You’re no angel.”

 

“The heck,” Hajime raises a brow. “What are you on?”

 

“Lack of sleep,” Tooru quips before turning to look at the rising smoke. “Do you know what happened?”

 

“Some first year blew up the chem lab,” Hajime supplies an explanation, face scrunching up in annoyance. “Classes in the Science Building have been cancelled. Why don’t you head home and catch some shut eye?”

 

“Cancelled…” Tooru cheers, throwing his arms in the air. “Yes!”

 

Day is about the only time that Tooru ever sleeps well. No one else is asleep at that time so it’s the best time for Tooru to sleep without worrying that he might invade someone’s dream. Tooru has contemplated taking night classes so that he can get some good sleep, but the timetable has never worked out like that.

 

“What do you want for dinner?” Hajime asks before Tooru leaves.

 

Tooru grins, “Croquettes!”

 

“Alright,” Hajime assures. “Make sure you actually sleep!”

 

 

 

 

 

The day nap is revitalising. Tooru wakes up feeling refreshed and is happy to do some study on his own. Hajime comes home with croquettes as promised, to put Tooru into a good mood. Hajime probably hopes that keeping Tooru happy will allow them to sleep on their own tonight, but both of them doubt the possibility. No matter how many things they’ve tried but nothing has changed.

 

(Once, they went down the route of exorcism, which Tooru remembers was hell and still resents Hajime for.)

 

That night they return to their respective bedrooms gloomily so it’s a surprise that Tooru wakes up in the morning feeling refreshed. Tooru opens his eyes and feels like he’s slept enough to last him a whole week. Tooru can barely remember his dream and it actually feels good. Curiously Tooru pokes his head out the door to look for Hajime. Just because Tooru had a good night, doesn’t mean that Hajime did too. However, to Tooru’s surprise, Hajime is actually cheery this morning.

 

“What,” Tooru mumbles, “You actually managed to sleep well?”

 

“You didn’t screw up last night,” Hajime informs as he gives Tooru a stack of _pancakes_ topped with syrup and strawberries for breakfast. Tooru swallows thickly. When was the last time they had pancakes for breakfast? “I’m proud of you.”

 

“Huh,” Tooru arches a brow suggestively. “Your dream must have been surprisingly tame last night Iwa-chan.”

 

Hajime doesn’t even rise to the bait. “I didn’t dream last night.”

 

Tooru laughs, rolling his eyes, “You dream every night Iwa-chan.”

 

“Didn’t dream last night,” Hajime repeats, shoving a forkful of pancakes into his mouth.

 

“What are you talking about—”

 

Tooru stops to stare. Hajime gives him a look, serious enough to make Tooru believe his words. Tooru doesn’t understand it. The habit of walking into dreams has always been odd and difficult to understand but this is new. Hajime is suggesting that Tooru didn’t invade his dream last night. It is something that happens but only when Tooru walks into another’s dream. Usually it’s Hanamaki or Matsukawa.

 

“I assumed that you had a pleasant dream last night,” Tooru explains. “I don’t remember but it must have been good.”

 

“I really didn’t,” Hajime mumbles.

 

Tooru nods around his fork and hums thoughtfully. Hajime didn’t dream last night, but that doesn’t mean that Tooru didn’t walk into a dream. Tooru is certain that he did but he cannot remember the content of his dreams at all. The feeling of having dreamed is vivid but Tooru cannot recall what it had been about. There is another possibility but Tooru cannot remember the last time he had dreamed a dream of his own.

 

“It’s a good thing,” Hajime interrupts Tooru’s thoughts. “What’d you do yesterday?”

 

Tooru reflects on it. What could have taken away his ability to walk into dreams? Tooru’s day had been the same, except for the classes that were cancelled. Tooru goes through the process of recalling everything he had done but cannot figure it out. Tooru has tried as many things as possible and nothing has changed. So yesterday as well, Tooru had behaved like he usually does.

 

Suddenly, a thought pops to mind and Tooru slams his hand on the table in exclamation, “Ah!”

 

“What?” Hajime questions, grip tight on his fork in anticipation.

 

“An angel!” Tooru exclaims as flashes of a gentle smile and silvery hair come back to mind. “I met one!”

 

“Ch’,” Hajime deflates and kicks Tooru’s feet underneath the table, “Are you still dreaming?”

 

“I’m serious!” Tooru doesn’t really believe himself. Even if Tooru does have a little more affinity with the supernatural than most people, the presence of aliens are more feasible than angles. Tooru had been half-asleep yesterday so he may have been dreaming but, Tooru wants someone to believe him, especially if he’s going to be self-doubting. “Iwa-chan! Believe me.”

 

Instead of responding like a best friend should, Hajime finishes breakfast and runs.


	2. Day 2: Birthdays | Confessions

Falling asleep is difficult because Tooru worries, but once he is asleep, crashing into someone else’s dream is an easy feat. Tooru still doesn’t understand how it’s possible but he goes to bed hoping that it’ll be a normal night. Unfortunately, it isn’t. Tooru isn’t surprised that everything goes back to normal.

 

At least the dream that Tooru is thrown into seems tame enough. Everything is a little eerie though. The whole background is white and Tooru’s footsteps echo on and on. When Tooru finally spots colour, he also finds a complete stranger in the dream. Tooru is reminded of the angel with silvery hair that he had seen two days ago. Tooru does a double take and scans his surroundings carefully. This wouldn’t happen to be his very own dream would it? It’s been so long since Tooru has slept by himself.

 

Looking around doesn’t even help. Tooru is a frequent visitor of dreams, but he still doesn’t know how it works. It feels like his voice is always missing, but the message always seems to be conveyed. It might be a mind over matter thing. Maybe when humans dream, they all become aliens with supernatural powers. That will explain a lot.

 

But this dream is very different. The feeling is different and so is the setting. It’s too calm and peaceful. Tooru doesn’t know anyone who dreams like this. It’s also strange because Tooru only walks into the dreams of people that he knows personally. The main victim is Hajime with a side dose of Hanamaki and Matsukawa and a few others.

 

Tooru still doesn’t know how to do this. It’s easy with Hajime who just sighs and gets Tooru moving along. A lot of the time, the dreams that Hajime dream aren’t within control. They just move with the flow. Right now, Tooru feels like he’s in a lucid dream. He’s moving forward of his own accord, careful and cautious as he approaches the only other person in the dream. Tooru searches his brain for something to say, but his feet moves faster than he can think. Now, it feels a little displaced because the steps aren’t actually within Tooru’s control. Tooru may be aware, but he’s not the boss here. Before Tooru knows it, he’s close enough to start a conversation, but his brain is still blank.

 

“Uh…”

 

The stranger looks up slowly and the surprise attacks both of them. Tooru feels a sense of familiarity but the stranger, stares with marble brown eyes blown wide in shock. Tooru slowly backtracks, ready for the rejection. It’s normal and Tooru understands it but every time he visits someone new, Tooru’s anxieties are doubled. However, the stranger stills his expression right there and it’s like they have slapped pause in the face. There’s nothing but shock on the stranger’s face. Tooru thinks it’s almost comical.

 

“Hi,” Tooru tries to communicate and is taken by surprise when he hears his own voice working, “Sorry… but uh… are you real?”

 

“Uh,” the stranger blinks, looking around himself and then back at Tooru with a quizzical expression, like he wants to ask something other than what he ends up asking, “In what sense do you mean?”

 

Tooru stutters a little, slightly taken aback by the response. _That’s a_ _good question_. The stranger laughs and Tooru is slightly frustrated that he cannot hear it. However, that’s not even the most important thing. Tooru wonders what’s funny but more than that, Tooru also wants to know what he had meant in the first place. He can’t quite wrap his head around this either.

 

“Like,” Tooru pauses, licks his lips—Tooru can already hear Kuroo teasing him, _so_ _eloquent, Oikawa._ “If this is a dream… do you exist in the real world?”

 

“Ah…” there’s a drawn out pause before the stranger nods, “I guess?”

 

The stranger sounds as lost and unsure as Tooru does. Tooru scrunches his nose together, confused by the response. While waiting in silence, Tooru studies the stranger and the stranger studies Tooru in return, like it’s a given. It’s a little unnerving, but Tooru can’t find the exit sign to avoid it.

 

“I mean, I do. Exist in the real world,” the stranger laughs, like he’s trying to ease the tension. “I’m a little… out of sorts. I don’t usually dream.”

 

Tooru wonders how much this person is a part of his imagination or better yet, how much Tooru is a part of the other’s imagination. Maybe this really is a normal dream, one where Tooru is the one dreaming of an angel that he has created. Maybe Hajime is right. Tooru might be going a little insane because of the lack of sleep.

 

“Well,” the stranger scratches his cheeks softly. “This is awkward.”

 

“We can fix that,” _Awkward_! That’s not a word that is allowed to exist where Tooru is, “What should I call you?”

 

The stranger cracks a smile, “I’m Suga.”

 

“Suga-chan it is then,” Tooru replies shortly. If this is a dream, he’ll be here for a while, might as well get comfortable. “I’m Oikawa.”

 

(Suga laughs, “I _know_.”)

 

“Did you say something?”

 

Tooru tilts his head to take a closer look and no matter what angle Tooru sees Suga from, Suga is still pretty—prettier than Tooru is, so Suga must be a part of Tooru’s dream. Well, there is Akaashi, so it’s possible that some as beautiful as Suga exists, but Akasshi is on a completely different level. Akaashi doesn’t count if they’re doing a poll on this anyway.

 

“No,” Suga shakes his head, silvery strands of hair fluttering along with his movements. “I didn’t.”

 

Tooru nods and then there is silence. Despite Tooru’s efforts, everything is awkward as Suga had said. Suga doesn’t say much and Tooru doesn’t know what he can say about the situation. Tooru steals glances but he can’t quite place where Suga is in his life. Tooru is certain that he doesn’t know him. The unknown makes everything harder. Every time Tooru opens his mouth to try and explain, he closes it again. What if Suga really is just a figment of his imagination? There would be no need to stress over it.

 

Tooru actually hates talking about it. It feels like Tooru is being forced to make a confession. Hajime had been easy to tell—they had grown up together and Hajime was easily accepting. Hanamaki and Matsukawa became the victims when Tooru was attending high school, but as friends, they easily laughed it off. Tooru doesn’t know how to break it to a stranger. It probably doesn’t even matter since they won’t be seeing each but it feels nerve wrecking all the same.

 

“Um… Oikawa?” Suga questions softly but now he looks a bit sceptical. “Are _you_ real? Like… are you aware of what’s happening right now?”

 

Tooru looks at Suga carefully and decides that he _does_ need to explain. This will be very confusing otherwise. If Suga happens to be real, they need to draw a line so that neither of them crosses each other’s safety boundaries. Tooru has things he doesn’t want people to know. Suga is probably the same. Although Tooru is barely able to control whether or not he enters a dream, he can try his best to stay in one location if the dream happens to be a private one.

 

“Yes,” Tooru confirms. “And I have to apologise to you.”

 

Suga blinks, “Why?”

 

“I have a… uh, habit? No, more like… the ability to walk into other people’s dreams,” Tooru confesses slowly, waiting for Suga to laugh at him for being silly or shun him for being weird. “You happen to be a victim.”

 

“Oh,” Suga mouths and flicks his eyes around his surroundings again. “So… you’re in _my_ dream right now?”

 

“Right, I suppose this would be your dream,” Tooru is babbling now because Suga looks lost and confused and maybe, Tooru really is the weird one. “So, this doesn’t usually happen with strangers. Usually I crash into Iwa-chan’s dream—ah, Iwa-chan is my best friend and um, it’s like real. Iwa-chan gets really annoyed because well, we don’t actually get any sleep and it’s just hell—”

 

“ _Oikawa_ ,” Suga says and it’s enough to put Tooru to a halt.

 

Tooru stops talking and whines in his throat as he brings his eyes back to Suga. Tooru has a bad habit of rambling when he feels extremely threatened. (Especially by people like Akaashi, damn it.) Suga looks at Tooru right in the eye and then smiles (deceptively) as he gives Tooru a well practiced karate chop to the ribs. Tooru gasps in shock and holds onto his stomach without a word. Suga is a lot stronger than his frame implies. Rather than an angel, Suga might be an alien.

 

“It’s okay.” Suga assures gently, as if he didn’t even hurt Tooru just now. “I don’t usually dream so this is a surprise to me… or well, I could be dreaming you up or something.”

 

Tooru manages to crack a smile; this is the first time anyone’s played along. “But I’m real.”

 

“I’m sure,” Suga laughter washes away Tooru’s pout. “So you feel tired walking into other people’s dreams?”

 

Tooru nods. It’s never peaceful because Tooru is painfully aware of the fact that he is dreaming. It means that Tooru is never really asleep. However, the dream that Suga has conjured up is different from everyone else’s. Suga’s dream is blank—all white and peaceful. Tooru can probably catch some shut eye. Suga seems to be thinking the same thing because he hums and shuffles aside to make some space for Tooru to sit on his cushion.

 

“You can borrow,” Suga tells Tooru, patting the empty space nearby. “I’d like some sleep too.”

 

Tooru is wary of the offer but Suga smiles and that small smile might be even more dangerous than Akaashi’s whole existence. Tooru looks around himself for another soft space but everything else is hard surfaces. Warily, Tooru plops down but sits far enough so that there’s some space between them. Once Tooru is comfortable, there is nothing left between them but silence. It’s a little bit awkward, but it’s endurable.

 

Nothing happens like Tooru had feared and eventually, Tooru does manage to get some rest. When Tooru stirs awake, it takes a while for him to remember that he is dreaming. Tooru’s surroundings are the same, but Tooru finds himself resting against Suga’s shoulder. Before he can do anything about it though, Tooru feels the dream slipping away. There’s a rush beneath his feet and Tooru is quick to nudge Suga awake.

 

“Huh?” Suga stirs, rubbing his eyes, “Is it morning?”

 

“Almost,” Tooru laughs and he surprises himself.

 

Tooru feels comfortable beside Suga. He feels right at home actually and he had managed to catch some proper sleep. It’s like sleep rather than a dream but for all Tooru knows, it could be a dream inside of a dream. ( _Too much Inception!_ Hajime is bound to say but Tooru can think what he likes.)

 

Suga yawns softly, still slightly drowsy. “Then you’re going?”

 

“Mhm,” Tooru nods and there’s a tinge of resentment—it’s so peaceful here. “Can I come—”

 

The alarm is now paired up with the sound of Hajime slamming on Tooru’s door. Groaning, Tooru turns his face into his bed and prays for another moment but Tooru barely catches Suga’s goodbye wave before he’s fully awake.

 

“Iwa-chan!” Tooru whines as he grabs the pillow and throws it at the door.

 

“You’re going to be late!” Hajime throws back at him. “I made rose jam toast.”

 

“Rose… shit—” Tooru exclaims, rolling right out of bed and hurting himself in the knee. “Wait, wait! Save me some!”


	3. Day 3: Movies | Rain

Koushi smiles when the rain starts rattling against the café window. He’s glad that he checked the forecast in the morning and took an umbrella with him. Koushi likes the rain but this time of semester is no good for a rain shower. The rain provides a distraction from his textbook and when Koushi looks from the window to where the watch sits on his wrist, there’s a reminder that comes to mind. Staring as the time ticks away, Koushi notes that it’s nearly time to meet Hinata.

 

Spotting Hinata in the distance, Koushi quickly packs up his books. Hinata is running through the rain without an umbrella. Koushi shoves everything into his bag and takes out the umbrella. As he exits the café, Koushi bows his head a little to open up the umbrella. As he places it over his head, he hears the familiar voice that belongs to Oikawa and instinctively lowers the umbrella to cover his own face.

 

(“What should I get today?” Oikawa hums delightfully as he advances the steps. “Ne, Iwa-chan!”

 

“Why are you even asking?” Iwaizumi as Koushi knows him scowls, sounding exhausted. “You always end up with hot chocolate anyway.”)

 

Koushi doesn’t even know why he’s hiding. Koushi doesn’t buy the ‘walking into dreams’ excuse that the Oikawa in his dreams had given but it’s the only plausible explanation Koushi has. Well, Koushi might harbour a little crush, but it’s not enough for him to be dreaming of Oikawa constantly. Though with his heart in denial, Koushi’s brain might have aided him in come up with an excuse, ridiculous as it is.

 

“Sugawara-san!” Hinata exclaims, crossing when the green light flashes.

 

Koushi’s breathe catches in his throat and he bites down on his lip as he takes a step forward. The café door opens and the chime sings and Koushi prays that they proceed without looking back. Quickly, Koushi meets Hinata halfway and covers Hinata with the umbrella as well.

 

“Hey,” Koushi greets softly and hopes that Hinata has learnt to read some signs. “You could have texted me to come get you.”

 

(“What’s wrong, Oikawa?” Iwa-chan asks as they both stop at the door.

 

“Oh…” Oikawa stops and Koushi shrinks further into the space of his umbrella, “Just now—”)

 

Licking his dry lips, Koushi clears his throat and places a hand on Hinata’s shoulder to guide him along. They should go now, make a quick escape before Koushi gets caught.

 

“Let’s go,” Koushi says. “Database Research was it?”

 

“Yes!” Hinata exclaims brightly before faltering a little. “I… um, don’t know where to start!”

 

Koushi chuckles, “I’ll help. What’s the paper about?”

 

“Um,” Hinata scratches his cheeks and Koushi readies himself for the worst. “I’m not really sure…”

 

“Right,” Koushi swallows. “We’ll see what I can do…”

 

 

 

 

 

Over coffee (Hajime has coffee and Tooru gets himself hot chocolate and cake), Tooru finally tells Hajime about Suga. It’s been a few dreams now and Tooru finally is ready to share. Hajime scrunches up his face but doesn’t say anything about it other than the fact that he might actually believe in the existence of angels now. Tooru doesn’t even have to wonder why Hajime isn’t teasing him about it. What Hajime does do when they get home though, is shut Tooru out.

 

“Just, go to sleep,” Hajime yawns at his door, ready to close and lock it. Hajime isn’t even going to sleep. He’s just keeping Tooru out so that he can concentrate on his paper. “It’s late and you have an eight o’clock tomorrow, don’t you?”

 

Hajime should know that Tooru is afraid to sleep. The feeling is not new but it’s been a while since Tooru has felt it. Once, Tooru had gone without sleep for a good forty-eight hours to avoid crashing into Hajime’s dreams. Hajime couldn’t stand it and kicked Tooru’s ass into bed while staying nearby to make sure that Tooru slept. They have a routine.

 

However, the dreams that Tooru has with Suga, it doesn’t work in the same way. Now Tooru is afraid that he will fall into Suga’s dreams—or rather, he’s slightly afraid that he won’t. Despite dreaming more frequently lately, Tooru had actually had a decent amount of sleep. Maybe, the alien Suga is a cure to Tooru’s bad habit. Tooru isn’t sure of what he wants to do with that yet.

 

“Mean!” Tooru yells at Hajime’s door before returning to his own room.

 

Tooru crashes into his bed with a sigh. He thinks of Suga and his silvery hair, Suga and his beauty mark placed just under his eye and then the way his eyes crinkle up onto a smile. It’s still familiar, but Tooru cannot place it anywhere in his real life. It’s only present in the dreams. There’s also a laughter that Tooru is greatly attracted to but can’t hear. He thinks it’ll be the most marvellous sound. Overall, Suga is beautiful. Tooru doesn’t think it could be real, but Suga did say that he was. Tooru still cannot believe it, but that means that Suga is probably thinking the same about him.

 

“Urgh,” Tooru groans, rolling around in his bed. “Sleep, sleep!”

 

Tooru tosses and turns until sleep overcomes him. When Tooru opens his eyes again, he feels a little tried, thinking that morning has come, but raindrops fall around him and runs down his skin. Tooru rubs his eyes and looks up at the cloudy grey sky. There’s nothing but rain that keeps falling into Tooru’s sight. It’s pouring heavily and now that Tooru notices, he feels chilled to the bone.

 

It takes a moment before Tooru gathers himself. He had gone to bed properly, so if anything, this is a dream. Turning to the right side, Tooru finds Suga sitting at the edge of the building, legs dangling over. Suga is humming and Tooru recognises it as the latest pop song, one that Tooru has been putting on repeat himself. Tooru stares as Suga sits on the edge while rocking his feet to the beat of the song. Unlike Tooru, the rain doesn’t seem to bother Suga at all.

 

Tooru experiences a sense of déjà vu. The rain soaks his clothing as it had done before Tooru sought shelter in the café. Tooru is a little annoyed that his clothes are stuck to his skin and his hair smelly from the rain. Suga seems to be immune to all of this. No one can be that perfect. There’s only one explanation for it. Suga is definitely a fragment of Tooru’s imagination. Tooru has yet to see anyone on campus with the same delightful smile.

 

“You said that out loud.” Suga communicates with disapproval. “How many times have I told you that I’m real?”

 

“Suga-chan,” Tooru peels himself off the ground and walks over to join Suga, “That’s because I only ever see you in my dreams.”

 

“Then I can say the same for you,” Suga retorts easily.

 

Tooru laughs, dropping down on the ledge and sitting just like Suga does. Tooru looks down but places a hand on the cement beneath him. It’s a ridiculously high building and there’s nothing but water beneath. Tooru wonders how much it rains in this place and for how long to cause such a flooding. A lot of Hajime’s dreams are by his daily activities. Suga’s dreams do not seem to be the case. Tooru wonders if Suga’s dreams are controlled by the significant events in his life or the emotion he feels.

 

“Bad day?” Tooru breaches the topic.

 

“Hm,” Suga hums, “Not really.”

 

“But kind of?” Tooru teases.

 

“Maybe,” Suga forces a smile. “One of my juniors… oh well, let’s not talk about it.”

 

“Oh,” Tooru mumbles, feeling bad that he’s invading personal space. “Sorry.”

 

“It’s not your fault,” Suga laughs, brushing him off. “You can’t control it, right? Or maybe, I can’t.”

 

It’s interesting that Tooru still hasn’t figured out if he’s the one walking into Suga’s dream or if Suga is the one that is walking into his dream. Tooru has never run across anyone that has the ability that he does. However, knowing which way it is won’t change anything. Tooru just feels bad being in a place that Suga might not want other people to see. But really, there’s nothing to actually see.

 

As usual, there’s nothing in this space. Aside from the building that they sit on, there’s only water surrounding them. Suga is an odd character and his dreams have started to reflect that. Tooru doesn’t see or hear anything but the drip drop of the rain. Against cement, it’s a familiar rattling sound, against the water beneath, there is endless echoing. It doesn’t look like the rain will stop and Tooru doesn’t know what he can do to help.

 

“Should I lend you my shoulder?” Tooru offers, nervously.

 

Suga looks at him sceptically and then delivers another precise karate chop to his arm. No matter how many times Tooru has been a victim, he is never quite prepared for it. Tooru jumps in an exaggerated fashion only to genuinely freak out when he remembers where he is. Suga scoffs, but reaches out a hand to catch Tooru and pull him back.

 

“What was that for?” Tooru complains as he kneads away the pain in his shoulder.

 

“Just checking to see if you’re real,” Suga replies. “You offered me your shoulder all of a sudden.”

 

“I was trying to comfort you!” Tooru retorts with a pout. Now he knows how Kuroo feels. “I’m actually a nice person you know!”

 

Suga is studying him again and something unknown flickers in his expression. Tooru wonders what it is about these small moments of silence but he never gets to ask. It’s like Suga has the ability to read Tooru well enough to draw some distance between them before Tooru can start.

 

“I won’t hold back then!” Suga exclaims and his smile cuts through the question on Tooru’s tongue. “You’re surprisingly easy, Oikawa.”

 

Before Tooru can huff and retract his offer, Suga acts first. Leaning a little bit into Tooru’s space, Suga rests his head against Tooru’s shoulder and sighs heavily. Tooru finds himself stuck in place. Suga is relying on him and Tooru feels like he’s doing what needs to be done. Tooru is probably the one that bothers Suga too much, always invading his dream. This feels like a nice way to give back to Suga.

 

The silence settles and Tooru doesn’t have to ask if he is helping. Shortly after, Suga’s eyes flutter close and his breathing evens. Tooru doesn’t think he can even ask if Suga wants to talk about it. Tooru knows that he doesn’t have the right words to say in return so he heaves a soft sigh and leans back, cheek rested against Suga’s wet hair. The setting becomes surprisingly soothing. Tooru might be floating back and forth, like he’s rocking in a hammock. It’s a nice feeling that takes Tooru away from his lingering thoughts.

 

“Thanks,” Suga tells him after a while.

 

Tooru smiles softly but he’s sleepy too, “You’re welcome.”

 

Suga laughs and the sound rumbles against Tooru’s skin before blending in with the rain. Tooru is desperate to hear it again, but he knows that all he will feel is the vibration. It’s a little disheartening but Tooru settles for what he has. Tonight the rain doesn’t stop falling but the constant drip drop dances along with the rise and fall of Suga’s chest and it’s just like music to Tooru’s ears.


	4. Day 4: Magic | Flowers

Just like how Tooru had dropped himself into bed, Tooru opens his eyes and finds himself falling. The sky above him is dark but clear and the stars would be a sight to see, if Tooru wasn’t in the middle of panicking for his life. Tooru can’t control himself from flailing his arms and opening his mouth to scream _save me_ even though no sound comes out.

 

It’s all futile because there’s nothing to latch onto. The breeze brushes by in a flash and Tooru braces himself for the end of the fall, but it ends up light, like Tooru has landed on a bed of cotton. Or maybe it’s just a bed of flowers, because as soon as Tooru lands, petals flutter upon impact and they are quick to settle back down beside him.

 

“You’re jumping in halfway today?” Suga smiles with amusement as he picks the petals out of Tooru’s hair—Tooru’s heart might have stopped for a second there. Tooru just stares as Suga continues to card his fingers through Tooru’s hair, releasing the petals and the knots. “I think we need to set some terms and conditions.”

 

Today, Suga is in a good mood. There’s no rain and no flooding of any kind. Instead, it’s a clear night in his dream. Now that Tooru is calm, he can appreciate everything. It feels like Suga is giving Tooru a great view of the sky. Tooru is reminded of Miyagi, where the stars are easier to see than they are in Tokyo. There are also flowers amongst them. It actually feels like Suga has had a great day today. Tooru wants to share that happiness but isn’t sure that he can so he doesn’t ask.

 

“You signed the contract long ago,” Tooru retorts as he pulls himself up. He’s picked up a thing or two about contract law from Kuroo. “You can’t just add new terms and conditions whenever you like.”

 

“My dream,” Suga shakes his head. “My terms.”

 

“You never know,” Tooru replies with a smile.

 

The statement makes Suga laugh because it’s become increasingly unclear to the both of them. Tooru has rarely dreams by himself so he doesn’t know what his dreams are usually like. Suga is pretty much the same. Apparently Suga doesn’t dream at all so none of this really makes sense. In the end, it doesn’t matter too much. They may be close within the dream, but once Tooru wakes, it’s not a very significant event in his life. It’s probably the same for Suga too.

 

“What are you doing?” Tooru asks curiously, peering over Suga’s shoulder.

 

“Making a crown,” Suga tells him, raising his hands a little and piercing the stem of the daffodil so that he can loop another flower into it, “See?”

 

 _But why are you doing it_ , Tooru wants to ask. Suga has the most normal dreams but they don’t seem to make any sense to Tooru. The rain can reflect Suga’s poor mood, but the emptiness of Suga’s dream is something that amazes Tooru. Suga’s dreams are all slow paced and monotone—there aren’t any layers to it. Tooru still has vivid memories of one of Hajime’s dreams where they continually travelled through time while making an escape. From what, Tooru still doesn’t know but the dream was hectic enough to cause Tooru to want to stay awake forever.

 

“I don’t know either,” Suga answers with a shrug even though Tooru didn’t ask. “But there’s nothing else to do here.”

 

Suga’s hands continue to move on the flowers. He plucks one from the ground, connects it to his string of flowers and then loops it together. Tooru joins him shortly after, only to be laughed at. Tooru has never made a crown of flowers before. Watching is easy, but his hands are slightly clumsy. If Tooru doesn’t hold on carefully, the connected flowers fall out of his grasp and he has to start over. Suga laughs but leans forward to teach Tooru the tricks.

 

“Do you attend university, Suga-chan?” Tooru asks as Suga hands over the flowers.

 

“Mhm,” Suga hums but keeps his eyes on the crown that he’s making. “ _Todai_.”

 

“Eh—me too!” Tooru exclaims, “How come I’ve never seen you around before?”

 

Suga clicks his tongue as if the answer is obvious, “It’s a pretty big university, Oikawa.”

 

“Well,” Tooru licks his lips and rummages through his brain for something appropriate to say. Suga is a lot more perceptive than he lets on. Tooru has a lot of doubts about Suga but he doesn’t want Suga to know that. “That’s true… wait, did you hear about the fire last month?”

 

“It happened in the Science Building chemistry lab right?” Suga replies with ease and Tooru can’t tell if this is just his imagination providing information that Tooru has stored away. Suga smiles fondly as he provides Tooru with more knowledge. “Unfortunately, I know the kid who caused it.”

 

“Were you there?” Tooru questions and he keeps a careful gaze on Suga.

 

“Not on the day,” Suga provides but his hands never stop moving.

 

“Oh,” Tooru mouths and then continues where he had left off.

 

“Why?” Suga pokes Tooru’s shoulder to get his attention and flashes an encouraging smile. “Is something wrong?”

 

Tooru shakes his head. If he asks anymore, Suga will be onto him. Quietly, Tooru fiddles with the flowers in his hands, growing frustrated when they continue to fall out of his grasp. Suga on the other hand, completes the task with ease. When Suga is finished, there is a crown of flowers big enough to fit on Tooru’s head. Like he’s able to read Tooru’s mind, Suga closes up the loop with a stem and then places the crown on Tooru’s head.

 

“It suits you,” Suga praises as he chuckles into his hands, eyes crinkling up and beauty mark smiling as well—god, he’s too pretty. Suga might be able to give Akaashi a run for his money.

 

Once again, Tooru is captured by the ease of Suga’s whole existence. It’s always so bright and radiant. Today, it’s soft like the crown of daffodils that sit on Tooru’s head. But before Tooru can say anything in response, Tooru’s heart jumps in his chest and he jerks awake, back into the confines of his own room. Tooru’s hands fly to his chest and he clutches at the cotton shirt, scared out of his wits. It takes a moment but when he calms, Tooru notes that the scent of daffodils lingers, but neither the crown of flowers nor Suga are here. Unlike his dream, everything in the real world feels a little out of place.


	5. Day 5: Ocean | Comfort

Tooru is quick to rush into bed after dinner that night. The face that Hajime had made when Tooru asked him about the student who blew up the chemistry lab had been suspicious. Tooru has known his best friend for a long time, knows that Hajime is popular and gets at least one confession a week, but he’s never made that blushing face before. Tooru needs to know who that first year is and what that first year has done.

 

Tooru tosses and turns, having a hard time falling asleep. It’s always like this. When he wants to sleep, it doesn’t come and when Tooru needs to stay awake, sleep haunts him until he gives in. Tooru ends up staring at the clock, wondering if it’ll be morning before long but the last number he sees staring back at him is 2:09. When Tooru opens his eyes again, his brain is completely blank. Tooru finds himself feeling lost and lonely. He doesn’t know where he is and scares himself into a state of panic before he tunes into the sound of the waves breaking into shore.

 

Tooru stays completely still and listens for any other sounds but there is only the sound of the sea. Deeming it safe to look around, Tooru scans his surroundings and finds himself on the shore of a beach, all white sand and deep blue water. The sloshing of water is calming and Tooru almost forgets that he could have company.

 

“You really do walk into dreams,” Suga comments and when Tooru registers it, he jumps a little. “Have you always liked them? Dreams I mean.”

 

Suga is as usual, sitting comfortably in his bland dream. If anything, it’s actually kind of boring, minus Suga that is. Suga is always calm and collected and his dreams reflect that. True to his word, it’s like Suga rarely dreams because his dreams don’t have much substance. But Suga is interesting, nothing like the image that he gives off. He’s gentle yes, but he’s also rough around the edges. Tooru doesn’t know anyone else who would give people karate chops for no reason.

 

Tooru shakes the sand out of his hair, “Not particularly.”

 

Suga hums, “Then you hate them?”

 

“Maybe,” Tooru confesses after some consideration. “It tires me out most of the time.”

  
Tooru knows that dreams are just dreams but it still has an impact. Most people dream. The difference is that Tooru walks into other people’s dreams. It’s something he should be used to, because his friends provide no surprises, but then Suga came and Tooru feels like he’s learning it all over again. But there are times where Tooru thinks that he shouldn’t be putting in so much effort.

 

Tooru is waiting for the day where Suga decides that he doesn’t want to be involved in this anymore. Tooru’s friends are sick of it, but they can’t help it. Hajime in particular, is stuck in a _kusare’en_[1] and well, Tooru won’t let him go no matter what, but there are others that are probably dying to be set free. It’s only a matter of time before Suga decides that he feels the same way.

 

“Come,” Suga waves Tooru over and makes an offer patting his shoulder. “I’ll lend you my shoulder.”

 

Of course, Suga decides to throw Tooru off another course that Tooru is just getting used to. Instead of being annoyed about Tooru’s constant presence, Suga had only been a little suspicious and fidgety. That had been all at the beginning. Now, Suga is more comfortable than Tooru is. It’s a little bit odd but each time they meet, Suga seems more and more at peace.

 

“You look like hell,” Suga explains and then chuckles. “Stop making that disgusted face.”

 

“So do _you_ ,” Tooru retorts, hands reaching up to smooth out his features. “And for the record I was shocked, not disgusted.”

 

They both look ghastly. Tooru feels it particularly in his bones. It’s like the effect of the mid semester hell. Tooru has never asked, but Suga either has exams to sit or papers due. Either way, they’re both hell to go through no matter how prepared or organised one is. Tooru feels bad invading in Suga’s dream during this time but there was something that Tooru needed to ask him. Tooru is sure that there was something important but he can’t remember what.

 

“Yes, yes, I’ll have the differences memorised,” Suga scoffs, waving his hand dismissively, “Come. I actually need a few hours of shut eye tonight.”

 

Suga’s dreams as Tooru has come to learn often looks like a reflection of his emotions or needs. Tonight, it’s another peaceful dream and there’s nothing distracting in sight. It seems like Suga needs a lot of time to himself and maybe that’s why he doesn’t dream often. Tonight it’s dark and the waves breaking into shore are all soothing. Tooru actually likes it. He’s never had the time to go and sit on the beach at night. Suga has provided Tooru with a range of new experiences.

 

“Suga-chan, you have surprisingly calm dreams,” Tooru comments.

 

Tooru thinks back to the rain and knows that it’s true. Although it wasn’t the best kind of dream, it was definitely peaceful. There was no war or fear. It was just quiet and calming as the rain continued to rattle beside them. Even if Suga’s emotions weren’t quite settled, he had a way of dealing with it. Tooru is curious about the trick but he wonders, if this is just him, finally learning to deal with something on his own.

 

“Are they?” Suga laughs and Tooru wants to know what that laughter means.

 

Suga is always smiley, always full of laughter. Tooru is mostly the same so he has his suspicions about how much of it is real and how much of it is fake. Maybe Hajime can help, since he knows Tooru so well. However, there are times when Tooru feels like Suga’s state of being is at a constant pause. Suga might feel too much or too little, but he rarely lets it show. It makes Tooru curious but he’s afraid to ask. Tooru realises that they are rather similar and that only reiterates the possibility that everything here is just a figment of Tooru’s imagination.

 

“You think too much Oikawa,” Suga chides gently and Tooru gasps into his hands. “And too loudly.”

 

“I didn’t—”

 

Suga laughs again and the vibration matches the waves that come in, “You did.”

 

Despite hearing Tooru’s honest opinion Suga doesn’t seem to be hurt or upset by it. Tooru finds that Suga is a lot cooler than his appearance lets on. Suga is kind of sweet and gentle in the way that he looks, but once Tooru got to know him, Tooru found that there are some devilish features in his frame. Suga could very well be a devil in disguise. Tooru can be downright evil himself, so there’s another common factor.

 

“By the way,” Suga breaks the silence. “You were saying something about Iwa-chan being mean as you came in… are you alright?”

 

“Ah!” Tooru exclaims, jumping right up. That’s what it was! Hajime’s dirty little secret! “There was something I wanted to ask you.”

 

Suga jerks backwards just in time and stares at Tooru with surprise in his features, “W-what… is it?”

 

“You said you knew who caused the fire,” Tooru presses. “Who was it?”

 

“Uh,” Suga licks his lips, looking baffled and confused, but Tooru must look desperate because he provides an accurate answer. “Hinata Shouyou… why?”

 

“Hinata Shouyou,” Tooru repeats and hopes that he’ll remember it in the morning. “Hinata Shouyou.”

 

“Did something…?”

 

“I actually asked Iwa-chan about the student who caused the fire today,” Tooru explains after he calms and now Tooru takes his time plotting. “Iwa-chan couldn’t give me a straight answer. I thought it was suspicious and you said you knew the student so…”

 

“That wouldn’t happen to be Iwaizumi-san, would it? Hm, he’s taller than me and has really dark brown hair?” Suga asks, gesturing to the space above his head and Tooru’s mouth drops open. He’s even more confused now. Does Suga have access to his knowledge or something similar? “I heard from Hinata that Iwaizumi-san was elected to help move the items that were salvageable in the chemistry lab to a spare room.”

 

“Yes,” Tooru’s eyes widen—he didn’t hear anything from Hajime about that though. There must be a reason why Hajime didn’t mention it. “Iwaizumi Hajime.”

 

“Oh then…” Suga can’t seem to contain his smile as he shakes his head. “Well, everyone’s like that with Hinata. I don’t think you have to worry about it.”

 

“What does that mean?” Tooru probes, now worrying for his best friend’s wellbeing. “Suga-chan, I can’t trust that smile.”

 

“Hinata’s like the sun,” Suga replies and he’s smiling fondly as he speaks of his junior until he thinks of something and stops halfway, scratching his cheeks nervously. “Actually, now that you mention it… I might have walked passed something.”

 

“What?” Tooru questions, inching closer, almost tempted to shake the answer out of Suga. “Did something happen?”

 

“Ah… well,” Suga licks his lips nervously and shuffles back a little. Tooru follows instinctively and Suga clears his throat but his eyes continue to dart around anxiously. Tooru silently celebrates his victory. He’s definitely onto something here. “I… well, this is only what I saw, okay?”

 

Tooru nods furiously, desperate to know what Hajime is hiding from him.

 

“Hinata was thanking Iwaizumi-san for his help,” Suga explains, looking a little more than nervous now because he might be saying the wrong thing. “He’s usually straightforward, so… I didn’t think of much when he blurted ‘I like you’ at Iwaizumi-san…”

 

“Eh,” Tooru’s mouth drops. “That’s it?”

 

“Well, yes.” This time, it is Suga’s turn to nod, but he’s hesitant, a little unsure. “Hinata likes everyone that’s nice though.”

 

“Neither of them noticed you?”

 

“I don’t think they did?” Suga questions himself, titling his head. Tooru bites down on his tongue—he’s meant to be worried about Hajime, not curious about Suga damn it! “They were pretty preoccupied?”

 

“Both of them?” Tooru asks.

 

“Yeah,” Suga nods as the corners of his lips curl, “Blushing to the tips of their ears.”

 

“Oh Suga-chan,” Tooru’s lips twitch and he’s itching to smirk. “This is good stuff.”

 

Suga’s eyes widen and he gasps in horror, “Oikawa, no!”

 

Suga even gives Tooru a punch to the gut to try and stop him but it’s too late. The information is already in his hands.

 

 

 

 

 

In the morning, Tooru asks Hajime to confirm the information he had been given by Suga. Hajime neither confirms nor denies, but Tooru picks up two new pieces of information. One, Hinata has quite an impact on Hajime. Two, Suga is real and he’s a lot closer than Tooru had anticipated.

 

[1] Undesirable but inseparable relationship.


	6. Day 6: Dreams | Food

“What are you making?” Hajime scrunches his face together as he steps inside their apartment. “Is that—”

 

“Mapo tofu!” Tooru exclaims without turning around to greet him. “Welcome—”

 

Immediately, Hajime throws off his shoes and dashes into the kitchen. Hajime grabs onto Tooru and shakes a little harder than necessary. There must still be some resentment about that thing with Hinata. Tooru doesn’t even care. The look of horror on Hajime’s face is enough to satisfy Tooru.

 

“Are you insane?” Hajime asks.

 

Tooru has to admit that his best friend has reason for concern. Tooru isn’t the best cook around but this time, Tooru has actually followed the recipe he found to the T. Tooru isn’t worried so there’s nothing for Hajime to worry about either.

 

“Iwa-chan, calm down,” Tooru pulls away and turns off the stove. “Suga-chan said it’s his favourite and I thought I’d try it out.”

 

Hajime looks over at the boiling pot and swallows. Hajime is a fan of spicy food but Tooru’s never really liked it much. Hajime’s scrunched face conveys everything, _what the heck is this_ Suga-chan _doing to you?_ Tooru rolls his eyes in response. There’s always room to learn and Tooru had picked the least spicy recipe that he could find. Sighing, Hajime offers to help out and they set the table because they cannot let the food go to waste. Once seated, Tooru sneaks a whiff of the dish and frowns, now slightly unsure.

 

“Did you add too much spice…” Hajime copies Tooru’s frown.

 

“No,” Tooru shakes his head and scoops some of the mapo tofu onto his rice. “It’ll be alright.”

 

Hajime watches carefully as Tooru tastes. It’s spicy to be expected but Tooru opens his eyes in delight. The taste is oddly refreshing and Tooru digs into the second bite easily. Hajime watches him with caution and Tooru complains that Hajime is ruining his appetite.

 

“I warned you,” Hajime eyes Tooru’s dish and winces. “Don’t say I didn’t.”

 

Tooru waves him off and continues with dinner. Tooru actually enjoys the dish. It is really spicy and not really to his normal palate but it’s also good in a surprising way. Tooru has good news to report and he’s all cheer as he washes the dishes that night. Hajime on the other hand, doesn’t seem to have any room for enjoyment. He remains on alert the whole night and Tooru laughs at him.

 

“I’m fine see!” Tooru even does a little spin to emphasize his point.

 

“For now,” Hajime retorts and then something must click, because he decides that his concern isn’t necessary. “Just… well, whatever.”

 

“Iwa-chan!” Tooru pouts. “I’ll be fine. I did a decent job didn’t I?”

 

Tooru did and maybe too well is Hajime’s concern.

 

 

 

 

 

For the rest of the night, Hajime watches Tooru with worry. Hajime fidgets so much it’s kind of annoying, but Tooru will be free of him in a couple of minutes. It’s time to go to bed and Tooru can tell Suga that he had enjoyed the dish. Tooru is excited to sleep and Hajime throws him a look, judging him. Tooru doesn’t care. It’s been such a long time since he’s slept well. Joining in Suga’s dreams is completely different from dreaming with Hajime. Suga’s dreams are always pleasant.

 

“Sweet dreams then,” Hajime wishes as he shuts the door and turns the lock.

 

Tooru jumps into bed with excitement but it’s like Hajime managed to jinx him. Nothing about the dream that Tooru invades is _sweet_. Instead, it’s the complete opposite and Tooru wants to run. It seemed peaceful at first, but that was before Tooru ran into the owner of the dream. But more than running into, Tooru hears them first.

 

“Oh ho ho,” Kuroo cheers and Tooru cringes, before the spine in his back shivers because having Kuroo means having Bokuto too. “Hey, hey, hey!”

 

No dream with Kuroo or Bokuto can be helped. They are way too energetic. Although Tooru usually plays along, bedtime is not quite right for it. As soon as Tooru sees them, he curls into a ball and denies the reality of his dreams. Kuroo and Bokuto are shouting at him vigorously and Tooru can’t figure out which of the two’s dream he stumbled in upon. It doesn’t matter anyway. Tooru rarely manages to catch one without the other.

 

What Tooru needs to do right now is to find a way to escape. It’s easier said than done, but Tooru is going to fight them. Tooru continues running in avoidance until something triggers a reaction. When Tooru jerks and opens his eyes, he’s back in the comfort of his own bed. Tooru is completely awake now but he’s not at peace. His heart did it again—slowed incredibly until it jumped in his chest to jerk him awake. The feeling is unsafe but Tooru knows what it is and how to deal with it.

 

Taking deep breathes, Tooru closes his eyes and waits for his heart to settle. Tooru doesn’t bother moving his head from underneath the pillow. Tooru actually remembers tossing and turning in his bed constantly. In a last ditch attempt at obtaining peace, Tooru had pulled his pillow from beneath his head and squished it into his face. It might have helped because something had dragged Tooru out of that horrific dream. Tooru can already feel the bed hair on his head and sighs, because that’s a trait for Kuroo.

 

Eventually when Tooru needs a clean breathe of air, he turns to find the digital clock and the numbers 3:04 stares back at him. It’s still early and he should probably go back to sleep but Tooru is too awake. Groaning, Tooru pulls the pillow away and turns to face the wall blankly. Tooru debates on counting sheep to fall asleep again but he decides that no, he’d rather not go back to where Kuroo and Bokuto are.

 

He lies in bed for the longest time, waiting for time to pass but it seems extremely slow today. However, Tooru doesn’t get to stay in bed for long. Shortly after waking, a slow and dull pain settles in his stomach. Soon enough, it becomes piercing and Tooru has to get up and make his way to the bathroom. The pain doesn’t subside and Tooru doesn’t know how long he spends in there. It isn’t until the sun is up and Hajime is knocking on the door that Tooru comes crawling out, holding onto his stomach with a face pale as a sheet of paper.

 

“Oikawa…” Hajime cringes at the sight. “What did I tell you?”

 

“Iwa-chan,” Tooru whines and Hajime nods, silently promising not to talk about THE THING, which they now have to label with the number fifty-two because they share too many inside secrets.

 

Hajime takes pity on him and changes the topic immediately. “I’ll make breakfast.”

 

“No,” Tooru cuts through to the kitchen with a pout. “I’ll make breakfast.”

 

Hajime knows that it’ll just be toast but he has no intentions of fighting Tooru right now. So he sits down at the table quietly and waits until Tooru brings the toast, jam and butter around.

 

“So,” Hajime frowns, looking at the plain burnt toast on his plate. “No sweet dreams either?”

 

“I’m sure yours was,” Tooru bites back, making sure to hog the jar of jam.

 

“Well,” Hajime rolls his eyes and spreads the butter instead. “Without you it’s—”

 

“You jinxed me!” Tooru accuses, waving his butter knife around. “I’m mad at you right now!”

 

Still half asleep, Hajime’s reaction is kind of slow but not without substance. He stares at Tooru for a while and then blinks until he’s fully awake. Tooru is glaring, but it must not be much of a glare because Hajime breaks into a huge smirk.

 

“What,” Hajime teases, clearly pleased with himself, “Too sweet?”

 

In the moment that Hajime catches Tooru off guard, he swipes the jar out of Tooru’s hand and declares himself a victor. It takes a while but when Tooru recovers and registers the meaning behind Hajime’s words, his cheeks are red. Tooru doesn’t think he’s putting up much of a fight but has to try. He cannot back down like this. Tooru cannot keep giving Hajime reason to tease him.

 

“It wasn’t like that!” Tooru hisses, cheeks burning with embarrassment. He stutters and that only gives Hajime more reason to tease him. However, Tooru doesn’t have any time to strength his defence. His stomach rumbles and he can feel the pain eating away at his stomach. Dropping his butter knife quickly, Tooru throws Hajime a sharp glare before running away. “Iwa-chan! I’m not done with you yet! Just you wait! I’m gonna—”

 

“I know, I know,” Hajime cackles. “You’re welcome.”


	7. Day 7: Revisit an old prompt (Texting) | Tanabata

Tooru walks and walks. The streets are familiar and it’s slowly starting to feel safe. It’s the area around the university and Tooru is walking down the café lane, where most students are busy studying their life away. Tooru feels slightly displaced, but he stumbles upon one of the famous cafés near campus and finds himself ringing the chime that’s stuck to the door as he pushes his way in.

 

There’s a soft greeting from the staff and Tooru makes an order, a milky hot chocolate with a lot of forth and mint syrup. It’s odd even to Tooru’s ears but he picks up the drink when it’s ready. Tooru is about to exit and continue walking but when he is looking around, he spots a familiar face, all soft features sporting the soft silky silver hair.

 

Tooru is delighted to see him there, by the window, studying diligently. “Suga-chan!”

 

It’s only right that they find each other like this. Being at the same university means that it’s possible. Tooru didn’t even think of this before. If he did, it would have been much earlier.

 

“Can’t you find someone else to bother?” Suga asks teasingly as soon as Tooru appears.

 

Tooru laughs because it’s a Suga-like greeting. There is no longer a need to make their conversations pleasant. It is likely that Suga cannot get rid of Tooru, so he might as well be himself. Suga is no different from usual. He’s still beautiful in real life and now the sun is here to highlight his soft features. Tooru invites himself to stay because there’s no one else in the area that seems to notice his presence.

 

“What are you studying?” Tooru asks and he realises that it’s the first time he’s actually asked the question.

 

Suga looks up and smirks. Tooru peers over and finds a novel concealed in the thick text book. Carefully, Tooru arches his brow and slips into the chair opposite Suga. Now that Tooru is paying attention, there are a lot of eyes on Suga—he’s popular. Or maybe, he’s just popular because he’s next to Tooru. Whatever the case, it doesn’t matter. This first actual meeting is going a lot more smoothly than Tooru had anticipated.

 

“What a fraud,” Tooru remarks around the rim of his cup.

 

Suga shakes his head, “Don’t judge a book by it’s over.”

 

“What are you reading then?” Tooru asks.

 

“It’s _1Q84_ ,” Suga replies but Tooru doesn’t know anything about the book. “It’s very Murakami-sensei.”

 

When Tooru asks Suga what the text is about, Suga confesses that he doesn’t know. Tooru laugh as Suga explains that he’s read some reviews that have praised the book. Suga decided that he had some time to read it. Tooru wonders how organised Suga is to be able to read a novel that’s three books long in the middle of semester. There are no answers though. Suga refills his cup and so does Tooru as they continue conversing. Suga is promising to let Tooru know how the novel turns out when he stops, realising that they can’t yet.

 

“I could text—” Suga stops short, frowning a little. “Ah, that’s not possible for us.”

 

Tooru decides that it’s about time. Hajime has been pushing for it because Tooru has been whining constantly. Honestly, Tooru feels a tad bad about it, but people cannot change easily. Hajime will have to put up with Tooru for a little while longer. But Tooru agrees with Hajime. It’s about time they decide on another way to communicate. This is a coincidence, but a good one. Tooru has found Suga. Now, all they have to do is establish a way to communicate properly.

 

“Says who!” Tooru retorts, reaching into his pocket to find pen and paper—it’s odd that he’s empty handed around campus, but Tooru realises that he’s not even carrying a bag today. “Give me your number. I’m sure I’ll remember it.”

 

“The most people can remember is seven plus or minus two,” Suga laughs at him.

 

“Basic Psych,” Tooru rolls his eyes, “Don’t underestimate me.”

 

“Oh?” Suga smirks, challenging Tooru to it. “Then I’ll be expecting you.”

 

From inside the pencil case, Suga pulls out a blue ballpoint and begins scribbling on a spare piece of paper. After Suga is done scribing, he folds the paper out of habit and hands it over to Tooru.

 

“All done,” Suga announces.

 

There’s a smirk on Suga’s face and Tooru warily takes a look at the note. Nothing is wrong, but the numbers of Suga’s phone number are very unaccommodating. There are no doubles and the numbers aren’t very friendly to Tooru’s memory. Tooru raises a brow to question the authenticity of the number and Suga shrugs.

 

“It’s my number,” Suga tells him.

 

“Are you sure,” Tooru clears his throat. “Or are you trying to prove basic psych to me?”

 

“I’m sure,” Suga replies nodding. “But if you don’t believe me…”

 

Tooru eyes Suga, but he says nothing more. He spends the rest of his time, trying to memorise Suga’s phone number and email address. Suga on the other hand, continues to flip through the pages of the book that he claims to be _1Q84_. Suga keeps reading and Tooru does too, trying to memorise the numbers on the note, in case he loses it. Oddly enough, Tooru can’t seem to find his phone either.

 

However, no matter how many times Tooru reads through the paper, Suga’s number doesn’t stick to his memory. When Tooru is finally fed up with it, he looks up from the table and intends to shake the paper in Suga’s face accusingly, but there’s no one sitting opposite him. On the table, there isn’t even a trace of the books or Suga’s cup. It’s like Suga has vanished into thin air and took everything with him. Tooru gasps in shock and when he looks around, the café fades out.

 

Freaking out a little, Tooru closes his eyes and shakes his head vigorous. When Tooru opens his eyes again with the hopes that his vision has just fooled him, he finds himself sitting in the chair before his study desk. There are pens and papers here—his phone too. Quickly, Tooru unclenches his hand to recover the note. However, there is nothing inside his palm except for red marks caused by his nails. There is no note, no number and no email address. Tooru only remembers the ‘010’ but that’s a basic for Japanese phone numbers.

 

“What the hell,” Tooru huffs, as he falls back on his chair and stares at the glow in the dark stars on his ceiling, “You could have told me, Suga-chan!”


	8. Day 1: Selfies | Mythology

Tooru is thrown onto the same road but this time he _knows_. He is completely prepared for it. Tooru walks down the café lane and looks of signs of Suga in the café, but he isn’t sucked in when there’s no one sitting by that window. Instead, Tooru allows his feet to carry him forward but not without constantly reminding himself that this is a dream. When Tooru finally stops, he is standing at the base of a temple and it reminds him of the New Year visits that he takes. It’s not surprising that Suga is there too.

 

“Woah,” Suga jerks, a little surprised by Tooru’s presence. “You’re here too, Oikawa?”

 

Tooru teases, “Why are you even surprised?”

 

“Well,” Suga scratches his cheeks a little, blushing. “This dream is… a little special I guess.”

 

Tooru wonders what Suga means but before he gets to ask, Suga walks away from him. To Tooru, the dream is a little different overall, the feeling of it and Suga’s slightly distant behaviour. Tooru feels like this dream is more than _a little special_ but he only has Suga’s words to go on. Maybe, this is something that Suga holds close. Maybe that means that Tooru shouldn’t be here.

 

“Sorry,” Tooru says again and he hates that sorry is the main thing that he says in front of Suga. “I could—”

 

_Try_. Tooru can always try to leave but it’s never certain.

 

“Can’t be helped,” Suga tells him, continuing his way up the stairs.

 

Tooru wonders if he should follow. Tooru thinks that he has been given permission to stay, but this dream isn’t exactly within his control. Tooru surprises himself by the slow steps that he takes. He keeps trying turn around to go in the other direction but Tooru’s feet continue to carry him up the steps. It’s one long flight of about forty steps. When they finally reach the top, Tooru finds that the old temple is very well maintained.

 

However, the temple is empty, without a visible entrance. Tooru doesn’t know exactly what’s so special about this dream but he cannot bring himself to ask. Tooru will probably end up belittling the importance of this dream and this place but that is not Tooru’s intention. Tooru’s not the nicest person around but he’s been trying because Suga’s nice and Tooru should return the gesture. Suga deserves that much for all that Tooru takes from him.

 

Tooru stands a few steps behind, watching as Suga stares at the temple. It’s really plain and simple—nothing special at all. The chime doesn’t ring and there are no priests or priestesses around to serve the Gods. But this is a dream so anything can happen. Tooru is slightly worried about it because he’s unprepared but Suga looks calm and collected as he waits. Curious about what lies within Tooru finds his feet moving forward, trying to look for an entrance to the temple.

 

However, as soon as he over takes, Suga reaches out and tugs him back by his sleeve. Tooru turns back, a little confused, by Suga and himself. Tooru opens his mouth to apologise but closes it without a word. He didn’t mean to do that, but Tooru had felt an urge to move forward. Luckily Suga is there to stop him from crossing the line. Suga’s hands glides across Tooru’s sleeve until he reaches Tooru’s hand. Suga wraps his hand around Tooru’s wrist and holds it. The grip is lose and gentle, but Tooru knows that there’s a plea in there, so he bites down on his lip and tries to hold his feet to the ground.

 

“There’s going to be a sun shower,” Suga informs.

 

Tooru opens his mouth but the words are clogged up in his throat. If it’s going to rain then they should walk a few steps closer to find shelter. However, for as long as Suga holds onto Tooru’s wrist, it’s like he is grounded and can’t move forward. It’s likely that Suga is the one that has the control over this dream.

 

“It’s just for a while,” Suga explains. “It’s not like last time so you don’t have to worry.”

 

As promised, the rain starts to fall in small droplets—it’s not even enough to conduct the rattling sound that Tooru has grown fond of (all thanks to Suga, of course). Suga had said that this is a special dream. Suga must mean a rare reoccurring dream. It seems like Suga is anticipating everything that happens while hoping that Tooru’s presence in the dream doesn’t change anything.

 

“Fox wedding?” Tooru murmurs.

 

Suga nods silently, his eyes fixed on the temple. Nothing happens, but the sun shower continues to drizzle over the temple. It’s nothing like Suga’s dream of endless rain, but the hint of sadness in the atmosphere is about the same. Maybe it’s in Suga’s silence or maybe, the dejection as Suga stands before the temple. Tooru can’t bring his voice out of his body to ask. Even after the rain subsides Tooru waits until Suga speaks first.

 

“There’s going to be a rainbow too,” Suga continues, flashing a set of white teeth in Tooru’s direction.

 

Tooru didn’t even notice that it had been fully sunny before but true to Suga’s words, shortly after the rain subsides, the sun comes out of its hiding place behind the clouds. Immediately, the sky above the temple is graced with the presence of a soft rainbow. It lasts for the longest time and Tooru is taken away by the sight. Tooru has always been too busy to take the time out to enjoy the simpler things in life so it’s nice that he gets to experience all of this by being near Suga.

 

“Do you think they lived happily ever after?” Suga asks softly.

 

Tooru can feel the weight of the question. He can hear the minimal desperation in Suga’s shaky voice. This is more important than Suga had indicated that it had been. Carefully, Tooru turns and takes a few steps into Suga’s space, grabs onto Suga’s hands and squeezes it. Tooru might not understand it, but he knows not to take the matter lightly.

 

“Of course,” Tooru says, hoping that his words bring comfort. “They’ve got us watching over them.”

 

Suga stares at him, a little baffled by his response. Tooru smirks, _what, it’s true_! and Suga breaks into a smile and whispers _I guess_ _it is_. Tooru can’t help but smile either. It’s a genuine smile that contains none of the fake stuff that Hajime keeps pointing out to him. Tooru catches himself, but is quick to reason that it’s only possible because of the _Suga Effect_.


	9. Day 2: Sleeping | Hobbies

Tooru twists and turns in his bed, but cannot get comfortable enough to fall into a deep state of sleep. It’s frustrating that Tooru’s eyes are glued shut, but he remains aware of how awake he actually is. Tooru is annoyed at many things right now and being aware doesn’t help. Tooru’s whole night has been terrible and it’s the weekend, but Tooru can’t even sleep in peacefully.

 

Opening his eyes a fraction, Tooru glares at the sunrays that filter through his curtains. Despite how drained he feels, it’s already morning. Sighing, Tooru throws the pillow over his face but that’s when the noise starts. Tooru can hear everything too clearly. It’s probably just Hajime making breakfast, but everything sounds so loud, it feels like Tooru’s sense of hearing has heightened. Huffing loudly, Tooru throws his blanket aside and makes his way into the communal area, ready to complain about all the noise, only to stop when he smells the aroma of rice, miso soup and grilled fish.

 

“What’s the occasion?” Tooru mumbles.

 

“I got the results for my paper,” Hajime states and Tooru knows immediately that Hajime is celebrating the victory of acing the task.

 

Tooru is happy for his best friend, but happier that he gets a share in the celebration. Tooru offers to help set the table and he makes sure to praise Hajime for his hard work. Hajime rolls his eyes at the flattery but kindly ensures that Tooru has a lot to eat. The food makes Tooru miss home a little and he considers going home to visit when the holidays come around.

 

“As expected,” Tooru hums pleasantly after tasting the soup. “You’re the best.”

 

“And you’re not. What were you doing last night?” Hajime frowns around his chopsticks, “You were tossing and turning the whole night—kept kicking into the wall and waking me up.”

 

Hajime might sound snappy, but he’s actually worried. Tooru swallows down his soup and flashes Hajime an apologetic look. He actually remembers doing that—turning in his bed and knocking his knee against the wall that connects his room and Hajime’s. Tooru hadn’t intended to be a disturbance but he just couldn’t fall asleep deeply enough to knock himself out.

 

Tooru answers Hajime with ease. “Couldn’t sleep.”

 

Tooru’s scrunched up face must be giving away something because Hajime’s mouth upturns into a wide smirk. Tooru catches himself immediately and backs away for some safety, but Hajime doesn’t move an inch to invade Tooru’s personal space. Tooru eyes his best friend warily. This might be scarier than Hajime’s small acts of violence.

 

“Should I knock you out then?” Hajime offers and there’s almost a leer in his expression. “So that you can dream?”

 

“Iwa-chan!” Tooru splutters indignantly, pushing back against his chair. Tooru might enjoy seeing Suga, but he’s not that desperate. A few nights without will not kill him. It might actually be good to draw some distance. “T-that’s not necessary…”

 

“You think you can lie to me?” Hajime scoffs and picks up his bowl of miso soup. “We’ve known each other too long for that.”

 

Tooru pouts and kicks Hajime’s leg under the table gently. Hajime coughs into the bowl and Tooru winces, blurting out a quick _sorry_ because his timing had been off. Tooru might retaliate but it’s always been half-hearted. Tooru can never bring himself to hurt Hajime that deeply, whether it’s physical or emotional. Hajime kicks back just as lightly and raises a brow in Tooru’s direction.

 

“Why don’t you just meet him?” Hajime asks, planting a near impossible idea into Tooru’s head. Tooru is afraid of himself and of the possibility that Suga might hate the real him. “If he exists, you don’t have to keep meeting him in your dreams. What’s good about that?”

 

Tooru clicks his tongue. “I couldn’t even get his number… what makes you think meeting is possible?”

 

Tooru doesn’t tell Hajime about how he was fooled into thinking that he had actually bumped into Suga near campus. That had been an embarrassing experience and Tooru is still kind of scared that something similar might happen in reality. Suga had laughed it off without a hint of guilt, exclaiming that Tooru had been rather gullible for someone who dreams so much. At that moment, Tooru had realised that the existence of angels are impossible. Suga is definitely an alien and Tooru cannot meet him without the proper preparations. What if Suga decides to abduct Tooru for forever? How will Hajime ever deal with the loss?

 

“That was just you, setting yourself up for failure,” Hajime shuts Tooru down with a sigh. “How were you going to remember something like that? A location and time to meet up would be easier to remember.”

 

“Ch’,” Tooru mumbles, picking out the bones from his fish. “Suga-chan doesn’t want to meet me.”

 

“Don’t lie,” Hajime reprimands, catching onto Tooru’s lies easily, “You said he was nice.”

 

“Just because he’s nice…” Tooru huffs as if it doesn’t mean a thing but it actually does so he doesn’t finish saying what he had wanted to. “Iwa-chan, I thought you were _my_ best friend.”

 

“Don’t be such a coward either.” Hajime pins Tooru with a sharp look, “Where’s all that confidence you have for the court?”

 

“This isn’t a court,” Tooru mumbles as he chews on his rice.

 

“Aren’t you trying to court him?” Hajime scoffs with a roll of his eyes.

 

Tooru feels the heat rush right to his ears and he’s embarrassed for himself _and_ Hajime. Everything around them stops for a second and only resumes when Tooru cannot contain it anymore. Tooru drops the pair of chopsticks in hand and it clangs against the bowl, but it’s not even loud enough to drown out his boisterous laughter. Hajime is going red in the face and Tooru loves the sight of it.

 

“You’ve been around Kuroo-chan too much, Iwa-chan!” Tooru cries, clutching onto his stomach which now hurts. “That was priceless!”

 

“Shut up,” Hajime hisses out of gritted teeth. “Just shut it.”

 

“Iwa— _hic_ —chan,” Tooru hiccups as he wipes the tears from the corner of his eyes. “I’m so… _hic_ sorry! That was—”

 

Hajime throws Tooru a rough glare and Tooru bites down on his lips to quickly stifle his laughter. It’s not much help because the hiccups don’t stop but Tooru does put in extra effort to cover his mouth. Hajime is being serious right now so Tooru listens.

 

“Just be on a lookout while you’re on campus,” Hajime suggests like it’s an easy thing to do, “I don’t think you’ve ever entered a complete stranger’s dream before.”

 

Tooru knows that too and has figured that Suga isn’t as far as a stranger. Tooru meets strangers all the time, but he hasn’t ever invaded the space of their dreams. Tooru must have had an interaction with Suga somewhere. He just can’t figure out when and where it was. Tooru knows that he won’t figure it out. Tooru has seen too much of Suga to actually pinpoint where they had first met.

 

“Wait a sec,” Tooru exclaims upon realisation. “You know Hinata—”

 

Hajime scowls and it’s clear that he’s annoyed at Tooru for trying to bring Hinata up again. “I thought we weren’t going to talk about THE THING.”

 

Tooru flinches a little because _that_ was a threat but he recovers quickly. Tooru cannot give Hajime the upper hand on this matter. When they talk about THE THING, Tooru is definitely the one that has more secrets that need to be kept hidden.

 

“Iwa-chan,” Tooru waves a hand, asking that Hajime calm down. “Hinata should know him. Suga-chan I mean.”

 

The realisation sinks in slowly and Tooru finds it entertaining to watch as the gears in Hajime’s head clicks. Tooru knows his best friend well and he knows when Hajime is trying hard to conceal a secret. Hajime may like to think that he can avoid it and Tooru enjoys letting him _think_ so, but this is an opportunity for Tooru to hit two birds with one stone. Tooru cannot let this chance pass him by. Hajime knows something and Tooru needs that information.

 

“Just,” Tooru breaks into a wide grin. “Let me meet him. Hinata I mean.”

 

Hajime clears his throat. “I can’t help you.”

 

“You were the one that said I should meet him,” Tooru reasons with a pout.

 

“Not with Hinata,” Hajime says and there’s an immediate hint of regret in his expression. Hajime had been possessive of Hinata just now.

 

“Oh?” Tooru breaks into a wide smile, “Iwa-chan you—”

 

“You know what,” Hajime scowls. “Just keep meeting him in your sleep. I don’t care anymore.”

  
Tooru cannot stop grinning even as he drives Hajime away. Hajime quickly scopes the remaining rice out of the bowl and into his mouth. As he chews, Hajime stacks the dishes on top of each other and drops them into the sink. He makes a swift exit claiming that he has to get to his part time shift but he makes sure to remind Tooru to do the dishes, as if the task will distract Tooru from his current thoughts.

 

“You can’t hide it for long Iwa-chan,” Tooru singsongs as the door shuts.

 

Tooru remains seated at the table but he’s not idle. As Tooru keeps his mouth busy with breakfast, he also makes sure to work his brain for a plan to find Hinata. It should be easy anyway. Hinata is kind of famous for blowing up the chemistry lab so Tooru is sure there will be people that know him. It’s a good plan. Tooru doesn’t know why he didn’t think of it before. Going through Hinata might be better than a direct approach. However, Tooru treasures his friendship with Hajime so he will make sure to move with caution.


	10. Day 3: Costumes | Promises

Finding Hinata is an easy task. Tooru didn’t even have to ask someone that he knew personally. It seems like everyone on campus knows Hinata because of the fire. A small first year student with blond hair that Tooru had found in the cafeteria had pointed Tooru towards the gym. Tooru was amused watching as she stammered, wondering if Hinata was in trouble but then brightening up immediately when Tooru assured her that Hinata was not. Tooru makes his way to the gym with easy steps. Tooru had quit the university club earlier in the year. There was no time juggling his studies and two teams.

 

As Tooru opens the door to the gymnasium, he’s taken back to the years where he used to play in a school team. Everything reminds him of his partnership with Hajime. The sound of sneakers squeaking on court, the calls for the ball and the sound of the ball bouncing against skin are all familiar. The flooding memories almost catches him off guard, but Tooru’s reflexes are quicker than he gives them credit for. When Tooru sees the ball coming for him, he shuffles back a step and moves into a receive position to send it back to the setter on the team—it would have been an out so his interference shouldn’t mean much.

 

“Oikawa-sempai!”

 

“Hey!” Tooru waves with a smile. “You’re all working hard I see!”

 

“What are you doing here sempai?”

 

Tooru chuckles pleasantly. He’s used to being surrounded by people but they’re blocking his view. Tooru looks around for any signs of a person that might be Hinata but he can’t spot the bright hair that he had been told to look for anywhere. In the end, Tooru is forced to ask the whole team.

 

“I’m looking for Hinata,” Tooru ends up explaining. “Can anyone point me in the right direction?”

 

There’s a round of snickering and Tooru raises a brow confused. Yahaba, who Tooru remembers coaching during his time, chuckles and pushes one small boy forward. The boy squirms in response and Tooru is told by his underclassmen that the last ball had been sent over by Hinata. They praise how sharp he is and Tooru doesn’t bother correcting them. Instead, Tooru tells them that he has some business with Hinata and asks to borrow the boy for a bit. They head outside of the gym and close the door so that the practice session can continue.

 

“You don’t have to worry,” Tooru asks Hinata and he makes sure to smile. “I’m not—”

 

“Geh,” Hinata jumps back and makes a twisted face, Tooru wonders if it is meant to be intimidating. “I’m very sorry!”

 

“Um…” Tooru scratches his cheeks. He was sure that he was smiling, not smirking or anything like that. “Calm down?”

 

“You’re…” Hinata swallows, eyes tearing up a little. “Not mad?”

 

“No,” Tooru shakes his head. “I’m not.”

 

“Oh,” Hinata brightens up immediately and he stands straighter than before, having regained his confidence. “Then… what can I help you with, uh… sempai?”

 

“Well…” Tooru clears his throat a little to dispel the laughter in his chest. Hinata is kind of amusing by himself. “I was looking for—”

  
Tooru pauses because it’s hitting him just now, but he really didn’t consider the possibility that Suga could have given him a fake name. Tooru would have done so, if a stranger said the things that Tooru had said about walking into dreams.

 

Hinata tilts his head, gaze deep and curious. “Yes?”

 

“Uh,” Tooru licks his lips and wonders how he should proceed. Hinata looks cautious and Tooru thinks that he should probably develop a rapport with the first year before going forward. “I’m Iwa-chan’s friend.”

 

“Iwa-chan…” Hinata blinks, looking unsure now and Tooru groans because that’s a nickname that only he uses. “I don’t know any Iwa-chan.”

 

“Iwaizumi Hajime,” Tooru corrects and hopes that Hinata understands. “I’m Oikawa.”

 

“Iwaizumi-san’s friend?” Hinata asks, eyes glossing over with a shine.

 

“Yes,” Tooru smiles and it’s genuine because he can tell that Hinata _really_ likes Hajime. It’s surprisingly cute. “I’m actually looking for someone and I think you might know him.”

 

Hinata nods eagerly, “If I can help.”

 

“Do you have a senior named Suga…?” Tooru asks carefully, gaze locked on Hinata, to make sure that he catches everything that goes through Hinata’s thought process. “Or know where I can find him?”

 

“Oh,” Hinata lights up in recognition. Tooru flashes him a friendly smile to encourage him but it seems to have the opposite effect. “Uwah! Wait, you’re—!” Hinata fixes his expression into a glare. “What do you want with Sugawara-san?!”

 

Tooru blinks, a little confused but he doesn’t miss the way Hinata jumps backwards and covers his mouth with a loud gasp. It looks like he wasn’t meant to say that but he did and Tooru has heard it. There’s no way to retract that. _Sugawara-san_. They have to be the same person.

 

“I don’t want anything,” Tooru replies gently to put Hinata’s mind at ease. “I’m just looking for him.”

 

Hinata eyes him, carefully, trying to keep up his menace but it fails miserably. Suga had been right about Hinata. He’s small and bright, just like the sun. His orange hair reflects that and Tooru had seen it in the way that he way moves. He’s also looking up at Tooru defiantly—but if he were looking up at Hajime with those glossy eyes of admiration then it’d be a different story. Tooru can see how Hajime might be affected.

 

“Then… then, you don’t need to look for him!” Hinata reasons.

 

Tooru cups his chin and hums, deep in thought. He didn’t think that it’d be this difficult. Suga must be well loved by all his juniors. Tooru will have to try something else to get the information he wants. But what can Tooru use against Hinata? Hajime had softened Hinata and he had been intimidated by Tooru but when Tooru had mentioned Suga, Hinata had changed completely. Hinata is the type that is protective of those that he considers his friends and Tooru finds that a difficult hurdle to climb over.

 

“Well,” Tooru starts, planning to reason, only to be interrupted. “Actually—”

 

“Iwaizumi-san!” Hinata exclaims before rushing pass Tooru.

 

Hajime has terrible timing and Tooru turns with the intention of conveying that through a glare. However, Tooru is left stunned by the image before him. Hajime is there and Hinata is too, hiding right behind him. Hinata doesn’t look so much scared, but he holds onto Hajime’s arm and pokes his tongue out at Tooru. It’s surprisingly cute but Tooru doesn’t even have the chance to tease Hajime about it.

 

“Oikawa…” Hajime threatens through gritted teeth.

 

“I didn’t do anything!” Tooru defends himself, “I really didn’t!”

 

“Like I can trust that,” Hajime scoffs and then approaches, grabbing Tooru by his ear and pulling him away.

 

“Ow!” Tooru complains as he tries to swat Hajime’s hand away. “That hurts, Iwa-chan!”

 

No matter how much Tooru fights it, Hajime doesn’t let go. Tooru can hear the door to the gym squeaking as it opens. All of his juniors are curious about the commotion and Hajime drags on the show. If Hajime’s goal is to embarrass Tooru then he’s doing it just right.

 

 

 

 

 

Tooru gets out of trouble but not without a reddened and sore earlobe. As he was dragged across campus, Tooru had to do his best to explain to Hajime that he really wasn’t there for the purpose of exposing THE THING. But then Tooru went ahead to say that Hinata is cute and that he understands and Hajime had sent him to bed without dinner. Luckily, Tooru stores some cup noodles and a spare kettle in the cupboard just for times like these.

 

He goes to bed with food in his stomach and is satisfied with that, but worried about another problem. Tooru is troubled over Suga’s existence. Hinata had seemed protective so it makes Tooru wonder if Suga is as fragile as he appears to be. However, Tooru keeps thinking about Hajime’s suggestion. Tooru would like to meet Suga for real. There are benefits that come with the option but there are also some negatives. If they continue to get along, then surely the positives would outweigh the negatives.

 

“Whatever!” Tooru huffs to his ceiling. “Stop over thinking and just do it!”

 

Deciding on it, Tooru doesn’t dawdle. If he does, he’ll end up avoiding it and putting it off for forever. Closing his eyes tightly together, Tooru starts counting sheep so that he’ll fall asleep quicker. Some divine deity must be listening to Tooru’s wishes tonight because he slips into the world of dreams easily. Tooru even knows it and remembers the task that he had set for himself. The only thing he has to do now is find out if it’s Suga’s dream that he has entered. Luckily, Suga’s features are easily noticeable, especially his silver hair. As soon as Tooru finds Suga in the dream, he rushes over without much other thought than the need to clearly convey his message.

 

“Let’s meet,” Tooru suggests. “During the day.”

 

That seems to take Suga by surprise—like he didn’t even think of the possibility and Suga’s surprise hurts Tooru. If Suga notices Tooru’s slight staggering response, he doesn’t act to heal the wound. A silence settles between them and Tooru ends up fiddling with his hands, nervous. Tooru didn’t think that he’d be rejected. The only person whose rejection ever mattered was Hajime’s, but this hurts more than Tooru had expected.

 

“Um,” Tooru clears his throat and tries not to tremble as he speaks. “Should we not then?”

 

“Ah,” Suga scratches his cheeks, “No… it’s just. You surprised me.”

 

“Is it that surprising?” Tooru asks quietly, “We’ve known each other for quite a while now…”

 

“I think that’s the most serious you’ve been,” Suga explains and he swallows thickly, like there’s something stopping him from agreeing. “I didn’t think you’d want to… I mean…”

 

Suga trails off, looking far away into the distance and Tooru realises the anxiety. It’s not that Suga is out of words to say, but that he’s afraid to say it. Tooru had been wrong. If Tooru has his fears then Suga does too. Tooru should have thought about that first. If he did, they wouldn’t have this kind of standstill. Tooru has to fix this.

 

“Hey, I was serious when I was asking for your number too!” Tooru clutches onto his chest dramatically in mock hurt. “How can you say that about me?”

 

Whatever it was about Tooru’s act silly that managed to set Suga at ease doesn’t matter. It’s enough that Suga laughs, dispelling the tight air around them. Tooru finds himself smiling with relief. Suga flashes a warm smile, eyes crinkling up beautifully and the beauty mark at the corner of his eyes, stealing Tooru’s attention—Tooru wants to touch it, find out if it’s real or just dust—if there’s any more hiding away, but he can’t. Maybe. Not yet.

 

“Meeting huh?” Suga says and then he looks at Tooru, grin a little lopsided but still bright and beautiful. “I’d like that.”

 

Tooru smiles back, lips quivering a little as he desperately reminds his body that he needs to breathe.


	11. Day 1: Wishes | Routine

Tooru looks up from his books to the view out the window and sighs. There’s nothing that he can see from the top floor of the library but the green leaves hang off the trees. It’s far from the place that he’s meant to be, but Tooru cannot bring himself to pack up his things and go. It feels different from the nervousness he experiences from anticipating a match, but maybe that’s because Tooru has the weapons to counter that situation. Tooru is a little afraid to go unarmed.

 

The location that they decided on is the little park behind the main campus cafeteria. Tooru is nowhere near that, but he can visualise the location clearly. There’s a bench that sits directly under the largest tree and it blocks out the sun, so it’s a nice and peaceful place to meet up. However, Tooru hasn’t been there once ever since he agreed to meet Suga. Tooru had freaked out the first time they had arranged a day and that had a snowballing effect.

 

He had apologised to Suga once and then assured Suga that next time, he’ll be prepared for it. Tooru might have lied, because they are supposed to meet today but he’s still hiding in the library. Tooru had thought about doing a stake out at the main cafeteria but there are always so many people there, he’ll end up standing out too much. So Tooru settled for hiding away. It seems like a good option, because Tooru’s feels the safe within the library.

 

“Stop fidgeting,” Hajime chides for the tenth time during their study session.

 

Tooru flashes Hajime a quick smile, “Sorry!”

 

Tooru looks back at his laptop screen and continues scanning through the university research database. It would be better if Tooru gets back into the rhythm before his other friends find that he’s off too. Hanamaki and Matsukawa are meant to be around too but they’re currently looking through the library for some books. If they were still here, Tooru is sure that he’d get a reprimand from them too. After staring at his screen for a long while, Tooru finds himself slowly becoming immersed in his readings but it only lasts so long as thirty minutes.

 

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” Hajime throws a rubber across the table so that he catches Tooru’s attention. “You marked the calendar and all.”

 

“Shh!” Tooru hisses, like he’s really worried about the amount of noise they’re making. “This is the library, Iwa-chan.”

 

Hajime rolls his eyes, but tears out a part of his book and writes Tooru a note. _Are you running away again?_ Tooru looks up with a pointed look but Hajime taps the piece of paper, demanding a proper answer. Tooru grabs onto his pen and scribbles down a quick _No. Change of plans._ Hajime scoffs silently, jerks the paper out of Tooru’s grip and throws it back. _If that were the case, you’d be pouting_.

 

Tooru throws Hajime a scandalised look, but he doesn’t get any more of a response. After stealing a quick glance at the clock, Hajime confirms the time and begins packing up for his next class. It’s only after Hajime leaves that Tooru realises that Hajime will have to pass by the park while heading to the building that his class is being held in.

 

_Shit!_

 

Scrambling to his feet, Tooru quickly shoves everything into his bag and rushes out of the library. He tries to be as quiet as possible but still earns a few looks of disapproval as he runs for the exit. But no matter how fast Tooru runs, he can’t see Hajime’s shadow anywhere. There are a few ways to get to the park, but Tooru cannot figure out which route Hajime has taken. Stopping Hajime is now out of the option. Tooru has to go there himself.

 

Biting down on his lips, Tooru throws the bag over his shoulder and chases, taking the short cut to get behind the cafeteria. If Tooru can get there first, it’ll be fine. However, when Tooru arrives, neither Hajime nor Suga are within sight. The park is fuller than usual, with more students on a sunny day, but the people that Tooru is looking for aren’t around.

 

Tooru huffs as he makes his way over to the bench that they have agreed to meet at. He’d run and worried for nothing. Dropping down on the bench, Tooru heaves a sigh, half irritation and half relief. Tooru will have to apologise again, but he’s prepared for that. Nothing can really hurt him in the dream, though Tooru might deserve to be hurt for bailing out twice in a row.

 

Leaning back against the bench, Tooru looks up at the sky and admires the image of the sunrays being filtered by the leaves of the tree. It’s a nice sight, one that Tooru has learnt to appreciate because everything is always so slow moving in Suga’s dream. Smiling at the sun, Tooru lifts a hand up in the air and curls his fingers in a weak attempt to catch the light. Tooru’s hands catch nothing, but there’s warmth against his skin. It puts a smile on Tooru’s face and he unclenches his fingers slowly to relax.

 

Tooru sits at the bench for a long while, waiting. Tooru decides to stay since he is already here. He might be a little late, but maybe Suga could be late too. There had been no sight of Suga, so Tooru bites down on his lip and wills his body to calm as he waits. Tooru is already at the halfway mark. All he has to do is wait for Suga to meet him. However, seconds melts into minutes and then fades into hours. The students on campus come and go, but there’s no sign of Suga at all.

 

Despite being the one that’s wrong, Tooru can’t help but feel apprehension. Maybe this is Suga’s way of getting back at him. Maybe what Tooru had done initially wasn’t fine at all. The more Tooru thinks, the more he wants to get away. Pulling himself up from his slouch, Tooru looks around once more for any signs of Suga, but finds nothing. However, he does notice an odd splash of orange amongst the sea of green leaves.

 

Tooru stops and stares hard. A neon orange post-it note stares back. There’s a message scrawled on it and it’s definitely for Tooru, since it has been signed by Suga himself. Jerking, Tooru jumps off the chair and looks around himself. Suga had been here, but no matter where it is that Tooru turns his eyes, he cannot find a glimpse of Suga’s usually easy to spot hair. Tooru does a quick lap around the park too, but Suga is nowhere in sight. In the end, Tooru returns to the post-it note and reads it over.

 

_Sorry, I might be freaking out after all._

_Suga._

 

Tooru stares at the post-it note and doesn’t feel wronged. Tooru had stood Suga up first and it’s only right that Suga feels threatened by that. Tooru would too, but at the very least, Suga had been courteous. He left a note while Tooru had left without anything to inform Suga that he wouldn’t be coming. Suga might have waited the first time and Tooru wouldn’t know. Tooru feels bad as he reflects on it. This is the nice side of Suga that Tooru feels like he won’t be able to keep up with.

 

Sighing, Tooru pulls the post-it note off the bench and holds it before him. Suga’s confession resonates with Tooru because he understands and feels the same way. Honestly, their first attempt had failed because Tooru had backed out, scared out of his wits. Suga had said that something had come up for him that day too so he didn’t show, but Tooru has no way of verifying that. Still, Tooru understands Suga’s hesitation. Although it’s slightly restricting, their dreams are the safer place to meet. There’s no telling what wrongs could happen in real life and the ones that scare Tooru the most are the wrongs without a fix.

 

Reading the post-it note sets Tooru at ease and he no longer feels quite as anxious about it as before. Pocketing the post-it note, Tooru is content to let his day end without meeting Suga. Tooru will still have to apologise to Suga because he did run, but with Suga’s assurance, Tooru feels calm and safe. They will be okay. It feels like there’s a common ground between them.

 

Tooru grabs his bag and heads off campus. There is no reason to be there any longer. Hajime has another study session tonight so he won’t be home. That means that Tooru won’t need to make dinner so he stops by the convenience store for a bento box. After grabbing what he needs, Tooru heads home and sets up his desk so that he can study.

 

Before Tooru starts working through his readings, he sticks the post-it note from Suga against his small table whiteboard and smiles at it. It’s a good reminder that Tooru is getting closer. With that thought in mind, Tooru sits down and studies late into the night. He hears Hajime coming home too, but Hajime had probably eaten out so there’s no need to greet him. Tooru has good flow and so he wants to continue without interruptions. Once Tooru is content with his progress, he’s ready to give himself a break. As he stretches, Tooru spots the 11:11 on the digital clock and immediately stops what he’s doing to wish for courage.


	12. Day 2: Tabletop RPG | Postcards

Tooru cannot believe the words that have come out of Suga’s mouth. Anything that might have pointed to Suga being nice had been a lie. It alarms Tooru so much that he forgets where he is and slams his hands against the table. Tooru can’t hear it but he can feel the loud vibration and it makes him cringe. There are glares that Tooru receives which are the same as they are in real life. It’s a dream, but a library is still a library. Suga chuckles into his hand and Tooru bites down on his lips to stop from groaning as he sits down quietly.

 

“Suga-chan!” Tooru hisses. “You can’t just retract your promise!”

 

Suga doesn’t bother looking at Tooru, “You can’t stop me.”

 

“So it wasn’t okay?!” Tooru complains with dramatic silent gestures. “I thought better of you!”

 

“I thought so of you too,” Suga retorts and the truth burns. “You should be grateful that I let you off the hook during exam period.”

 

Tooru has to concede defeat to that fact. Suga’s message on the post-it note might not have been genuine—how could it, when Suga had just admitted that he waited a whole hour for Tooru to come? (Tooru swears it was only thirty minutes tops.) But Suga had left a post-it note behind so that Tooru wouldn’t dwell on it and screw up his exams. Tooru is kind of grateful for it, but now that the holidays are coming, Tooru has to face the consequences of his cowardice.

 

“I’ll make it up to you,” Tooru promises. “For real this time.”

 

Suga scoffs, turning away from Tooru. Tooru thinks that the pun should have made Suga laugh, but it doesn’t. The air about Suga is icy and now that Suga has voiced his real feelings, Tooru cannot be sure how safe he is. Tooru is back at square one, treading carefully so that he doesn’t self-destruct.

 

“Suga-chan,” Tooru complains, nudging Suga’s feet under the table. “I was wrong.”

 

“Kicking me is not going to get you anywhere,” Suga replies with a frown indented on his face. Tooru thinks that it doesn’t suit him, but it’s probably best that he keeps that to himself. “I’m not meeting you.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Tooru apologises again, putting his puppy ears and puppy eyes on show. “Please forgive me.”

 

Suga steals a glance at him and pulls his lips into a thin line. Tooru shuffles his chair a little closer to the table and reaches over to poke Suga’s arm. It seems that being silly has its payoffs because Suga to break into a grin. That’s all that Tooru needs to see.

 

“Okay, I was mad,” Suga admits. “And I’m over it, but I really can’t meet you, Oikawa.”

 

“Why!” Tooru exclaims, hurt.

 

“I’m going on an internship overseas,” Suga tells Tooru and he’s beaming so brightly, Tooru is sure that this news isn’t meant to hurt him. “For three months.”

 

That period of time will cover most of the holidays. Suga delivers good news. Tooru thinks it should be good news, but he can’t bring himself to be entirely happy about it. Tooru is kind of curious as to what would happen, but at the same time, he fears it. A distance of three months is a long time. It could forge a bridge between them and destroy all the effort Tooru has made to become close and comfortable.

 

“Three months?” Tooru asks to confirm.

 

The teasing that Suga had subjected Tooru doesn’t even matter anymore. Tooru is relieved, because he thought that they were going through a bigger crisis than an internship. An internship is good for Suga and Tooru can deal with that so long as Suga confirms that he will return.

 

Suga nods confidently, but he fiddles with his fingers, “It sounded like a good opportunity.”

 

“Yeah,” Tooru hums and looks into the distance. “It is.”

 

The opportunity is great. It’ll look good to prospective employers and bring Suga more opportunities in the future. Tooru would probably take the chance too, if he can bring himself to believe that he won’t miss home too much (home being milk bread and Hajime).

 

“I’ll write postcards,” Suga offers brightly.

 

Tooru likes the idea. It means that he will have the chance to see what Suga will be seeing. However, just before he agrees, Tooru realises that it isn’t a feasible option for them at the moment.

 

“But you can’t send them,” Tooru pouts. “We can’t even text.”

 

“I told you,” Suga teases. “The average person’s memory can hold seven plus or minus two items.”

 

Tooru frowns. He knew that Suga had been keeping quiet about it so that he could use it against Tooru at a later date. Now seems like the perfect time because Suga gets Tooru to zip his mouth shut without a protest. That was Tooru’s promise and he couldn’t see it through. Suga wasn’t expecting much of it but Tooru is disappointed in himself for it anyway.

 

“Hey, you could have given me your number on that post-it note,” Tooru points out. “That would have helped.”

 

“No way,” Suga throws Tooru a dry glare. “What if someone else had picked up the note?”

 

The idea that Suga puts into Tooru’s head makes his nostrils flare in anger. He didn’t think of that! That’s definitely not good—he shouldn’t even suggest it. Shaking his head furiously, Tooru demands that Suga forget that he ever brought the idea up. Suga smirks at him and Tooru feels like he’s lost another battle.

 

“I won’t,” Suga assures Tooru and then smiles, “But I can write the postcards and give them to you in person.”

 

The thought makes Tooru choke up with a bit of anxiety but Suga gives him another sharp karate chop to set him back on track. No matter how much Tooru has grown used to having Suga around, he’s never prepared for that attack. It catches him off guard and Tooru’s thought are instantly centred on the pain. Tooru isn’t even angry, because Suga flashes a satisfied smile with his handiwork and Tooru is a little mesmerised by it.

 

“Mean,” Tooru says in the end. “So mean Suga-chan.”

 

“We made a promise,” Suga challenges, as if Tooru is the one chickening out. “Didn’t we?”

 

“Uh huh,” Tooru nods. “I’m expecting you to keep it when you come back.”

 

“Oh? _You’re_ expecting _me_ to keep my promise?” Suga hums and turns to peer at Tooru carefully and Tooru swallows, because he should really be worried about himself. “You don’t have to worry Oikawa. I’ll keep my promise.”

 

“Don’t make a promise on a promise,” Tooru shoots back, refusing to admit defeat. “That’s like being unsure of yourself.”

 

“Oikawa,” Suga rolls his eyes. “Just think of it as a secure double entrenchment.”

 

Tooru stares at Suga, a little bit stunned by his words. Tooru had heard about the same concept from Kuroo recently. If Suga is not a law student then he definitely has friends at Todai’s Faculty of Law. Tooru wonders which one it is and this time, he actually manages to voice his question. Tooru is very proud of himself. Suga looks willing to answer the question too. Tooru shuffles to the edge of his seat, waiting. Suga opens his mouth to speak but Tooru can hear nothing aside from the sound of himself falling out of bed and landing flat on the floor of his bedroom.

 

“What the hell is this?” Tooru whines into the floor. “It’s always like this!”


	13. Day 3: Sick Day | Summer

Tooru hauls his bag over to their usual table and drops everything down. Tooru plants his butt on the chair first, followed by his bag on the table and his face into the bag that sits on the table. Hajime groans as he approaches and Hanamaki and Matsukawa follow, looking drained and miserable. It’s all because of Tooru so he is ready and willing to listen to their complaints.

 

Matsukawa grumbles immediately, “We’re the ones that should be down.”

 

Tooru mumbles his apologies incoherently into his bag. The university has become a second home. Despite it being break, the university is open for students with summer classes. Tooru is just here to have a look at the books that he’ll need for the next semester. It’s given him a good idea of what his classes will look like. But now that Tooru is done, he has nothing to distract him from Suga’s absence.

 

“What’s wrong with him?” Hanamaki asks and Tooru can see his arched brow and scrunched nose. Hanamaki reaches over and pokes Tooru, but Tooru is too drained to give him a reaction. “Is he dead?”

 

“Love sick,” Hajime supplies as he opens up the plastic wrapping around his bread. “He’s love sick.”

 

“Am not,” Tooru retorts without much of a bite. “You’ve been terrible with the breakfast Iwa-chan!”

 

There haven’t been any pancakes or jam toast. Tooru wants to hate him but he can’t because he’s the one at fault. Just last night, Tooru had made himself at home in all three of their dreams. Sleep was terrible last night and all four of them look like they’ve been to death’s door. Tooru had jumped every into every dream he could but didn’t find one that he wanted to stay in. The victims have extended from Tooru’s circle of close friends so he is surprised that none of the other people that he has been bothering are here to complain.

 

“That’s you,” his friends reply at once. “You’ve been terrible.”

 

Tooru is sorry about that, but he can’t help it. Tooru didn’t think that there was a distance restraint either, but there might be one on his abilities. Since Suga has gone Tooru has been invading his usual victim’s dreams again. Matsukawa, Hanamaki and Hajime have all gotten used to sleeping on their own so it’s not pleasant for any of them. Tooru misses having Suga around but now Suga is too far to dream of.

 

Tooru groans into the bag, “I’m sorry okay.”

 

“But why is he love sick?” Hanamaki asks. “There’s someone capable of doing that?”

 

“Yes,” Matsukawa confirms and Tooru isn’t even surprised that they know. “Suga-san.”

 

“Suga-san?” Hanamaki repeats. Tooru is alarmed that they are more than _one_ here but he cannot give in to them. “Which Suga-san?”

 

Tooru feels like they’re treating him like he’s invisible. Groaning, Tooru buries his head beneath his arms to ignore them. He doesn’t need to hear that name right now, especially since he won’t be seeing the person who owns that name for another few months. Time has never been slower and silence, never been further. The name _Suga_ bounces off the surfaces surrounding Tooru and right back into his ears. Tooru can hear it all despite wanting to block it out.

 

“Do you know him?” Tooru slams his hand on the table to demand an answer. “Suga-chan that is!”

 

They keep saying _this one_ and _that one_. There is probably more than one Suga on earth, but they sound like they _know_ something that Tooru wants to know. It’s very misleading but Tooru takes the bait because there is a chance that Hanamaki and Matsukawa might know the Suga that Tooru is waiting for.

 

“No,” Hanamaki starts and Matsukawa shakes his head sadly to finish. “Not at all.”

 

Matsukawa and Hanamaki are definitely in cahoots. Tooru sharpens his gaze to study them. Hanamaki and Matsukawa smile innocently but they definitely know something. Tooru can see it in the way that they exchange glances. Hajime looks at them too, but he’s busy munching away at his yakisoba bread and Tooru can’t read him. Tooru doesn’t even have the energy to pursue the matter because sleep has been lacking lately and his head is throbbing.

 

“We really don’t,” Matsukawa deadpans.

 

Hanamaki turns his innocent smile into a smirk, “But we’d like to see the person that’s capable of doing this to you.”

 

“Ah, seriously!” Tooru complains as he glares at them all. “Then stop bringing him up!”

 

“Love sick,” Hajime repeats, sucking onto the straw of his juice box. “It’s disgusting.”

 

“Definitely,” Hanamaki nods in agreement.

 

Tooru throws Hanamaki a dirty look and turns to Matsukawa, looking for support. At least one of them will have to be on his side. They can’t all be teasing him today. Matsukawa gives him a thin smile and Tooru tries to smile back only to falter.

 

“But this might be the cutest I’ve ever seen Oikawa.”

 

“Why are we even friends?” Tooru whines. He would throw something but the only thing in his hand is a fresh packet of milk bread, so he settles for pouting, “I am _not_ love sick!”

 

All three of Tooru’s friends reply with silence and Tooru knows immediately that they’re judging him. Carefully, Tooru looks around the table and throws them sharp glares to stop them from showering him with their pitying gazes. Hajime frowns at him but neither Hanamaki nor Matsukawa give in. Tooru cannot threaten them because he doesn’t hold any one of their closely held secrets. Tooru has to start with Hajime.

 

“Don’t forget THE THING,” Tooru threatens and Hajime freezes ever so slightly.

 

“ _Which_ thing?” Hajime hisses. “You have more than I do.”

 

Tooru would list Hajime’s entire collection of secrets from THE THING, but he can’t remember them all from the top of his head. Tooru has all of them written down but that doesn’t even matter today. Tooru has a triumph card because Hajime’s latest secret is the largest one yet.

 

“Fifty-one,” Tooru smirks triumphantly.

 

Hajime’s brows twitch and he can’t quite maintain his expression. It doesn’t seem to matter anyway, because Hanamaki and Matsukawa are quick to break the air of mystery.

 

“Oh,” Matsukawa hoots and Hanamaki smirks. “Hinata-kun was it?”

 

“Eh?!” Hajime and Tooru blurt out, surprised.

 

THE THING is supposed to be a secret. They have _so_ many of them Tooru doesn’t understand how Hanamaki and Matsukawa have caught on. Are they that obvious? It can’t be—everything is coded! Tooru doesn’t have the time to think about it because Hajime looks murderous enough to send a shiver down his spine. Maybe Tooru shouldn’t have played that card. He might not live until Suga returns, but then again, that might put an end to all his suffering.

 

“Everyone knows about that Iwaizumi-san,” Matsukawa chuckles with a tight smile, like he’s trying to be the villain to save Tooru from his death. “Hinata-kun is not exactly the quiet type.”

 

Tooru can’t even stay to tease Hajime about the implication of Matsukawa’s words. As Tooru runs for his life, he trusts that Hanamaki will laugh enough to cover his portion too.


	14. Day 4: Retro | Holiday

Tooru sits in the lecture room and scribbles absently in his book. When he looks down, Tooru finds that his scrawling is horrible but he can still make out the characters for Suga’s name. Crossing it out vigorously, Tooru looks back up at the PowerPoint and tries to concentrate but none of the content is going through his brain. Honestly, how did he get himself into this mess? Tooru had planned his whole year ahead, but maybe he had done so too well. But then again, there’s no way Tooru could have considered Suga happening.

 

Tooru’s conversation with Hajime had reflected that clearly. Tooru had confessed that he wanted to go home for the holidays and Hajime had deadpanned as he reminded Tooru that Tooru had signed up for summer classes to shorten his course. It was a great decision at the time, but not right now when Tooru finds it extremely hard to concentrate. Suga might be the bane of Tooru’s existence because Tooru has been so busy with Suga that he had missed the deadline to withdraw his summer enrolment.

 

Tooru had wanted to go home, back to Miyagi for a short period of time because he misses home. It would have also been a great distraction because Miyagi is a place that Tooru doesn’t associate with Suga. There is also a lot Tooru can still teach Takeru and that would take up his holiday and consequently, Suga’s whole internship. But unfortunately, none of that is happening. Tooru’s summer classes are tedious and when it’s over, Tooru will be starting his academic year again. There is no easy escape.

 

Tooru wonders what he was thinking, trying to work to a tri-semester cycle. The lecturer at the front of the classroom drones on and on and Tooru finds everything boring. Tooru begins scribbling down what the lecturer has to say but when Tooru realises that everything is already on the slides, he gives up. Tooru ends up falling asleep halfway though. It’s a habit that Tooru had dropped because sleep had been so good with Suga’s relaxing presence, but it’s so easy to fall back into his old routines.

 

Tooru sleeps lightly but it’s peaceful. At this time in the afternoon, none of Tooru’s friends are asleep. It’s Summer Break, so most of Tooru’s friends are out having fun. Unlike high school, there are no bells to announce the end of a class. Tooru sleeps through the hour, falling deeper and deeper into REM. Tooru feels refreshed as he stirs awake. He doesn’t know when it happened but when Tooru registers that it’s hard to open his eyes, Tooru knows that he had fallen into a deep state of sleep.

 

It’s probably too deep for a day nap because a mirage appears before Tooru’s eyes. The sensation feels like déjà vu and Tooru finds his breath has become stuck in his throat. It’s difficult to tell whether or not this is a dream. Something similar has happened before, but this time, Tooru is too caught up in the strange nostalgic feeling that he doesn’t feel irritated at the person trying to wake him up.

 

“Excuse me but class is over,” the boy requests gently, “Please let go of my hand?”

 

Tooru jerks quickly and rubs his eyes awake. The view is the familiar, but the angelic face that Tooru remembers thinking about isn’t there. Instead, it’s a younger student with a face decorated by freckles that stares at Tooru with a lopsided smile. The boy looks sweet as he carefully tries to untangle his wrist from Tooru’s grip.

 

“You’re not…” Tooru mumbles incoherently, “Suga-chan.”

 

“Oh…um, no…” the boy nods and then stops, eyes blowing wide, “Wait, Sugawara-sempai?”

 

Yes, that person, the one who’s away with a large piece of Tooru’s heart. Tooru grumbles to himself, ignoring the student because he’s still slightly drowsy. It’s dark outside and now, Tooru realises that he had slept past his class and into another one. Sighing, Tooru gets up and begins shoving his books into his bag. Any plans that Tooru had for the rest of the day have been thrown out the window. He hopes that at least Hajime will have made something for dinner at home.

 

“If it’s Sugawara-sempai you’re looking for,” the boy is soft and quiet, but he’s being extremely helpful if he is talking about the same Sugawara that Tooru is looking for. “He’s going to back in Miyagi for the last week of Summer Break, so you won’t find him on campus until semester starts.”

 

Tooru receives a start at the information provided to him. Why is Suga so popular amongst all the people that Tooru _doesn’t_ know? That’s totally unfair and there’s enough resentment to wake Tooru up from his sleepy state of mind. Now fully awake, Tooru stops what he’s doing to look at the younger student before him.

 

“You,” Tooru glares, hoping to be intimidating. “What’s your name?”

 

“Uh,” the boy jerks, a bit startled. “Yamaguchi Tadashi…”

 

“Okay,” Tooru says, backtracking out of the classroom so that he has some time to memorise the Yamaguchi’s face. “I’ll remember you.”

 

Yamaguchi squeaks, looking spooked and Tooru laughs with satisfaction. Yamaguchi has provided the best news that Tooru has heard in months. If all goes well, Yamaguchi will receive a present and if not, then hell is what awaits him.


	15. Day 5: Admiration | Bad Habits

Tooru doesn’t even bother feeling upset anymore. Rather than missing Suga at Miyagi—it would have been impossible to find him in the whole prefecture anyway—Hajime had prohibited the trip altogether. Hajime knew that Tooru would have slipped through his classes with a bare pass and that is not something that Tooru wants.

 

Sometimes, it’s great to have Hajime as a voice of reason. In this case, the payoff was that Tooru had aced his summer classes. Now, Tooru only has a few days left of the break and then Suga will be back, so there is nothing to complain about. Before the orientation week for the new first year students, Tooru heads into the university to pick up the books that he will need for the semester. If Suga is as organised as he appears to be, he might be here today too.

 

However, instead of the person that Tooru is dying to meet, he finds friends walking the campus. On his way out, Tooru watches as Bokuto disappears before Tooru can say anything, but Kuroo is moving along at a slow pace, eyes glued to his phone. Taking advantage of Kuroo’s distraction, Tooru dashes forward and makes himself at home.

 

“What are you looking at?” Tooru loops an arm around Kuroo’s shoulder and peeks at the screen of Kuroo’s phone. “Snapchat?”

 

“Yeah,” Kuroo nods and allows Tooru to look. “From Yaku.”

 

“Oh,” Tooru stares as the photos replace each other. There’s a lot of scenery still, of Tokyo, as if it’s new. “That’s random.”

 

“Well, that’s Snapchat for you,” Kuroo laughs.

 

Tooru uses the application too, but most of his snaps are sent to Hajime, who doesn’t bother replying. That’s why Kuroo’s set of snap friends are more interesting. There’s always something funny to see. However, today the snaps that Kuroo receives are a little more normal and tame. Tooru stares a little harder than he should because the person standing in the background of one of the photos looks too familiar.

 

“Kuroo-chan!” Tooru exclaims, but the rest of the words melt on his tongue and he can’t figure out how to say _stop_ without sounding a little hysterical. “That… that! What is that?”

 

Tooru cuts Kuroo off too late. Out of habit, Kuroo taps the screen of his phone and skips one photo for another. In the next few photos, there is nothing but food and locations. It’s all within Japan. Tooru knows some of them and fails to recognise others, but that smiling face just now was definitely _Suga’s_ , if Tooru’s brain isn’t tricking him.

 

“What,” Kuroo asks, as the snaps finish. “Did you see something?”

 

“Replay that,” Tooru demands—because that just now… that! That was definitely _Suga_ , the one in his dreams. Tooru might still be dreaming but he needs to know. “Kuroo-chan, am I still dreaming?”

 

“Pretty sure this is reality,” Kuroo confirms for him and holds for the replay of the snap. This time he’s more considerate as he lets the photo run through their time. “Tell me what you’re looking for?”

 

Tooru stares at the screen with great intensity. Tooru wants to confirm that his eyes have just fooled him but when the photo comes back around, it really is _Suga_ standing next to Akaashi (that’s double kill damn it, they’re totally cheating) holding a V pose happily. After staring at the photo for seven seconds, another pops up and Suga stands in the background. The snaps keep coming and the next one is a video that Tooru hadn’t seen before.

 

Tooru cannot catch himself fast enough to run away. In the video, everything about Suga is real—more so than in his dreams. There, Suga’s voice comes through the speaker saying, _I’m back_ cheerily with a bright wave. The recording is of bad quality and it probably doesn’t reflect the majestic laughter that belongs to Suga as he chides Yaku to _stop that_ and certainly not the twinkle at the corner of his eyes. But despite how it is lacking, Tooru still feels his chest cramping up. The only thing that comes to mind right at this moment is that Suga is friends with Kuroo. Tooru is also friends with Kuroo and Yaku and Akaashi. It could have been easy.

 

“What’s wrong, Oikawa?” Kuroo asks, pocketing his phone. “Are you alright?”

 

“That… Suga-chan,” Tooru mumbles and he ends up sounding more lost and confused than he actually is. “You know him?”

 

“Jesus, Oikawa,” Kuroo looks a bit baffled, but soon enough he laughs and then ruffles Tooru’s hair, like Tooru is a pitiful child. Tooru glares as he swats Kuroo’s hand away. “Why are you surprised? I saw him holding your hand and leading you out of the Science Building when Hinata blew up the chem lab y’know.”

 

“What,” Tooru chuckle of disbelief becomes a squeak as he registers what Kuroo is saying. For all this time, Tooru was sure that it had been a part of his dream because Tooru had woken with Hajime by his side. “I’m—what?!”

 

“What,” Kuroo repeats, smile turning into a sharp smirk, “You’re usually so attentive.”

 

The alien that is Suga exists on Earth. Tooru should be delighted (because an _alien_ , with beautifully soft silver locks, gentle smile and a laughter that’s bright a bubbly), but he feels a little apprehended. Suga is real and he’s not a stranger. Suga _knows_ Tooru, even before all of this started. (But Tooru wouldn’t be surprised, since a lot of the university popular seems to know him.) Tooru has met Suga before. It’s only right—no, logical—since the condition for Tooru to dream is personal knowledge. Tooru couldn’t place Suga in his life before, but that’s because Suga was doing nothing to help him.

 

“That’s mean,” Tooru mumbles to himself.

 

Kuroo gives Tooru a poke and Tooru looks up, feeling a little displaced. Kuroo shoots Tooru quizzical look in return, but Tooru knows that Kuroo’s confusion won’t last. If Tooru hesitates for too long, Kuroo will find a weakness.

 

“Uh, Kuroo-chan,” Tooru chuckles loudly, trying to sound bright. “I was just kidding! Just kidding!”

 

Kuroo’s smirk doesn’t seem like it wants to go away.

 

“Honestly, it’s Suga-chan,” Tooru clears his throat. “I know him!”

 

Kuroo gives Tooru a glance over and hums in acknowledgement. Tooru knows that Kuroo is just letting this go because he’s planning on a bigger provocation, but that’s fine. They can both back down today and Tooru will have a counterattack ready for the time that Kuroo decides to attack.

 

“Well, that was just Akaashi and Yaku going to pick Sugawara up at the subway,” Kuroo explains informatively and it’s actually torture for Tooru to know accurately where Suga is going to be, what he is doing and with who. “We’re having a welcome back party later tonight. Why don’t do join us?”

 

Tooru doesn’t even want to entertain the thought, so he pretends that he doesn’t hear Kuroo tempting him. Kuroo doesn’t even have kind intentions. Tooru is sure that he’s plotting away in his head to find ways to tease and embarrass Tooru.

 

“I’m busy!” Tooru hisses, throwing his bag onto his back and running, “I have a paper to prep!”

 

“It’s Sugawara Koushi!” Kuroo teases, even as Tooru backtrack to run away, because the semester has barely started and the unit guide that prescribes the essay questions can still change. “He’s usually sits at the tables near 610 in the main library!”

 

“I don’t need that information!” Tooru shouts back really loudly before dashing off but he’s already committed it to memory— _Sugawara Koushi_ , a medical student. He’s intelligent, much more than he appears to be.

 

Even though Tooru might be tempted to crash the party, he knows better than to fall for Kuroo’s bait. Instead, he drags his textbook on his back all the way back to his apartment without stopping. Before Tooru knows it, he’s secured every lock on the apartment door, even the metal door chain that he rarely puts up because Hajime won’t be able to enter. It’s only slightly safer inside than it is outside.

 

It’s comfortable at home and being home, often makes Tooru drowsy. Tooru has to find a way to make sure that he doesn’t fall asleep. Suga is back and his voice is lovely, but Tooru cannot hear it within his dream—he cannot fully appreciate anything Suga within his dream. The time apart has done nothing for him. Tooru is not ready for this. Not when he now knows what Suga’s voice sounds like; what his laughter feels like and how brightly he shines despite the crappy Snapchat quality.

 

After pacing around his living room for a while, trying to think up an idea to stay up, Tooru finds himself looking at the kitchen cabinet, where Hajime stores his bitter coffee. That’s a plan and Hajime isn’t even around to stop him. Thank god for that membership training Hajime has with his club. Smiling to himself, Tooru makes his way over to the cupboard and pulls out the container of ground coffee.

 

Smiling evilly at the container, Tooru turns it around until he finds the instructions. Tooru doesn’t usually drink coffee because it’s too bitter, but it’s about time he learn how to brew it. It’s actually the perfect time for it. Tooru needs to pull a few all nighters anyway. There are readings to be done and papers to get out of the way. It’s the perfect plan.

 

 

 

 

 

Tooru never knew coffee could be so addicting before. Coffee is bitter, but the taste can be easily acquired. Now that he’s out of coffee, Tooru needs some more. With trembling hands and droopy eyes, Tooru grabs the keys on the kitchen table and his jacket, ready to head out for a refill. It’s a great plan really. Tooru hums as he makes his way to the door only to have it knock against his forehead instead of opening.

 

“Iwa-chan…?”

 

“Oh? Oikawa,” Hajime pushes his way in and closes the door before Tooru can leave. “Are you sick or something? Kuroo said he hasn’t seen you on campus for three days.”

 

“Oh, j-just a cold,” Tooru stutters a little because his teeth won’t stop chattering, “I’m just about to head out for some meds.”

 

It’s probably a poor excuse because instead of getting rid of Hajime, Tooru has all of his attention. Hajime pulls Tooru back and pushes him into the couch. This is Hajime’s caring side and Tooru bites down on his lips, praying that Hajime will leave him alone. If Hajime goes to get the medicine for Tooru now, Tooru won’t get into any trouble. But before Hajime goes, he places a hand on Tooru’s head and then, bends his knees to kneel, so that he’s level with Tooru.

 

“What the fuck,” Hajime curses as soon as he sees the bags underneath Tooru’s eyes. Tooru knows that trouble is coming and all he can do is think of excuses. “What have you—is that coffee I smell?”

 

“No…” Tooru mumbles, averting his gaze. “You know I—”

 

“You had coffee,” Hajime states with his nose scrunched together, “Why?”

 

“Did not,” Tooru denies immediately.

 

Hajime doesn’t trust Tooru at all, going off into their kitchen to rummage through the cupboard where he keeps his caffeine. Tooru squeaks and attempts to make an escape into his room because all their coffee is gone and Hajime is going to kill him. Unfortunately, Tooru is not as sneaky as he wants to be. Just by trying to inch off the couch has Hajime turning back and glaring to ensure that Tooru stays put. When Hajime comes back with the empty container that Tooru had left laying around, he crosses his arms and demands an explanation.

 

 

 

 

 

“That’s why…” Tooru finishes telling his piece with a thick swallow. “But—”

 

Hajime sighs heavily and Tooru curls into himself. He’s feeling a bit cold now. His immune system might not be so good today.

 

“I-Iwa-chan,” Tooru trembles slightly, his smile quivering, “I got all my essays done!”

 

“You were up for three days straight!” Hajime throws back at him, disapproval clear in his voice and expression. “That’s—”

 

“It’s not even that long,” Tooru stutters a little as he tries to control the trembling in his hands. However, Tooru has reason to be so excited and happy. There are no more essays for Tooru to write this semester. Tooru has achieved something great. “I accomplished great things! I have!”

 

Although fuming, Hajime tries his best to calm down. He stands before Tooru, inhaling and exhaling slowly until he is calm enough to proceed. Tooru tries to reassure Hajime and Hajime gives Tooru a smile in return but drags Tooru by his shirt back into his room. Hajime tucks Tooru into bed and sits by his bedside.

 

“What are you doing,” Tooru deadpans looking up at the ceiling.

 

“You need to sleep,” Hajime states as he opens one of Tooru’s novels and flips through the pages.

 

“I just had coffee you know,” Tooru reminds him, body full attentive to the sounds inside and outside of his room. Tooru can feel everything. “I won’t be sleeping any time soon.”

 

“Too bad,” Hajime clears his throat. “You still need to sleep.”

 

“But I need…” Tooru whines a little, trying to twist his way outside of the blankets, “Bathroom, Iwa-chan!”

 

For a brief moment, Tooru fears that Hajime won’t relent, but his best friend isn’t that heartless. Tooru has to retract his opinion the moment that he sees Hajime moving about. Hajime is still heartless because he fishes around for the bathroom keys to make sure that Tooru doesn’t lock himself up in there. Tooru wants to stay awake in there so badly, but when he is done, Hajime unlocks the door and drags him right back into bed.

 

“Iwa-chan! Are you my mother?” Tooru whines, hoping that it will have an effect, “Iwa-chan, I’m not sleepy. Let me up!”

 

“Shut up,” Hajime reprimands, flicking through the pages of the book. “Sleep. When you’ve recovered we’ll get you some battle gear.”

 

“Battle gear?” Tooru scoffs. “I don’t need any battle gear!”

 

“Of course you do,” Hajime snorts and Tooru can tell that he’s just rolled his eyes. “You’re going to fight him, aren’t you?”

 

“Who?” Tooru replies automatically.

 

Hajime turns and smirks, “Suga.”

 

“Oh,” Tooru mouths. That’s actually a good plan. Tooru nods vigorously in agreement. That’s the only way to deal with someone that’s as slippery as Suga. “Yes. Yes I am.”


	16. Day 6: Date | School Spirit

Hajime’s idea of getting armed for battle is very different from Tooru’s. Tooru could sit around and listen to Hinata babbler on about Suga, but that’s not very effective in his view. Tooru would rather see Suga in action and observe him from there. It’s just a lot easier to pick at his flaws like that. So that’s why Tooru is staking out the WELCOME TENT near the university gates instead of sitting in a café to listen to Hinata ramble on and on. Word from Bokuto is that Suga had volunteered to work for a couple of hours each day of the orientation week. Just like Bokuto had said, come noon, Suga shows up at the tent to take over another student’s shift. He looks right at home and Tooru doesn’t know how he missed Suga’s existence, but that is a matter for another time.

 

Shifting the glasses so that they sit on his nose properly, Tooru squishes himself into the corner of his seat on the bench and holds a book up, covering only half of his face. Tooru has waited all morning and now, he can finally observe Suga at work in the real world. Everything that comes into Tooru’s line of sight is just like a dream. Suga moves gracefully and his smile is the same but Tooru is too far away to hear Suga’s voice and laughter.

 

“Why am I here too?” Hajime’s voice breaks Tooru’s concentration.

 

“To make help me blend in,” Tooru replies, pretending to flip a page.

 

Hajime scoffs, “Oh?”

 

Tooru begins to nod, to confirm what he needs Hajime here for but a weight stops him from moving.

 

“This is creepy,” Hanamaki’s voice rings by his ear.

 

“Oikawa,” Matsukawa comments as he rests his chin on Tooru’s head, “I thought stalking wasn’t a hobby of yours.”

 

“I’m not stalking anyone!” Tooru protests as he turns around so that he can glare at his two friends who have joined uninvited. “Why are you here?”

 

“We heard the news,” Matsukawa answers, slipping away and into the space next to Hajime. “Had to come and see the fun.”

 

The university orientation week is the best chance to find out if Suga is really Suga, or if he’s completely different from how he is in the dream. There are lots of people around and places to hide. Tooru is a genius. Well, half a genius because he doesn’t manage to outrun his so called _friends_. Tooru doesn’t know why he ever bothers including them into his plans, when all they want to do is ruin him.

 

“What fun,” Tooru mumbles and then points at them all, “You’re just here to tease me! Go home!”

 

Hanamaki and Matsukawa do not bother responding to Tooru in any way. They look content and relaxed to be here to watch as Tooru flails about. Instead of shifting under Tooru’s glare, they stay planted where they are and Tooru’s words affect the person that he doesn’t want to. Taking the chance, Hajime stands right up and begins waving his goodbye.

 

“I’m leaving,” Hajime says, turning his heel. “You gave me permission, so don’t complain.”

 

Tooru jumps to his feet immediately and runs to latch onto Hajime’s arm. Tooru may not have agreed to Hajime’s plan to obtain the battle gear to fight Suga, but Tooru still wants Hajime to be around for his plan. However, instead of managing to drag Hajime back, Tooru ends up being the one that’s picked up and carried around—by all three of his friends. They have been plotting behind his back! Tooru is certain of it. If not, how could they be in such meticulous sync?

 

“Hey!” Tooru hisses at them because he doesn’t want to draw attention to himself. “What are you doing? Hey! Stop!”

 

None of his friends listen to his plea to be released. Instead, they drag Tooru around, closer to the WELCOME TENT and plant him down next to a huge sign that the university has put up to help the new students find their way around. Tooru ends up slipping his body behind it and hiding. No matter how other people look at him, Tooru cannot go out there first. He hasn’t gathered enough intel yet.

 

“Stop making that face,” Hajime frowns at him.

 

Tooru glares at the students laughing around Suga, “But…”

 

“Oikawa,” Hajime sighs heavily. “I don’t think you’re _that_ crazy. Are you going to prove me wrong?”

 

“You’re saying that I’m crazy to some extent!” Tooru points accusingly, “That’s not helping Iwa-chan!”

 

“Well…” Matsukawa twists his lips into a grin and Hanamaki decides to finish the sentence for him, “If you were sane you wouldn’t have tried to stalk Suga-san in the library the other day.”

 

“Shh,” Tooru hisses at them, pretending that he isn’t embarrassed that they had caught him hiding around the shelves that holds the university’s medical texts. “You’re going to ruin my chance!”

 

Neither of them replies to Tooru’s protest. Instead, they stand close by and observe Suga as well. Matsukawa and Hanamaki are definitely here to torture Tooru. Instead of being silent and stealth, Hanamaki and Matsukawa act like commentators. They dictate to Tooru everything that Suga is doing and it’s both annoying and vicious. Tooru can see it for himself, but the way that they describe Suga’s friendliness with other people really gets on Tooru’s nerves. It doesn’t make Tooru feel like he had been special at all.

 

And then comes the kid—Yamaguchi Tadashi. Tooru remembers the boy well, but he still hasn’t decided what needs to be done yet. However, Tooru might have actually come up with a conclusion. When the boy approaches, Suga turns to him, lips curled into a crescent smile and eyes lighting up with fondness. Suga even reaches up to ruffle Yamaguchi’s hair, laughing loudly as Yamaguchi melts into his touch.

 

“Oi…” Hajime grunts, tugging at Tooru’s shirt, “Stop gnawing on it.”

 

Tooru snaps back into reality and frowns at the sleeve of his shirt. “Oh… thanks.”

 

It’s not long before Tooru starts it again. Suga is too friendly. Everyone standing in line for help seems to want Suga’s attention. Suga works quickly and efficiently to make the new students’ transitions smooth. He speaks to the students and directs them to the right places with the easiest instructions. Tooru swears he can see love in the air and he can’t stand the difference in treatment. Suga not exactly distant from Tooru, but they haven’t developed that kind of easy going rapport.

 

“Now he’s being annoying,” Hanamaki sighs.

 

Hajime nods in acknowledgement. Tooru rolls his eyes at his friends but as soon as Matsukawa’s lips upturns, Tooru feels the danger. Bracing himself—Tooru literally shifts to cross his arms protectively around his body—Tooru glares at them and takes a step back so that he has room to escape. It’s not even fast enough because Hanamaki and Matsukawa are telepaths and don’t even need to confirm their plan verbally before they put into place.

 

With Hanamaki standing behind and Matsukawa standing in front, Tooru has no clean escape route. Tooru cannot backtrack or advance. Tooru tries, but ends up failing miserably because he tangles his own feet together. Hanamaki doesn’t help because he gives Tooru a firm push forward and Matsukawa moves away, without any intention of breaking Tooru’s fall. Hajime just stares as Tooru stumbles a few steps forward to the front of the WELCOME TENT and then falling face first when Tooru loses his balance.

 

Tooru doesn’t want to get up from the ground. It might be better that he becomes one with it. This is so embarrassing and it’s not helping that Hanamaki and Matsukawa are laughing. Hajime might look like a good friend because he’s not laughing at Tooru’s misfortune but either way, none of the three have come out of their hiding spots to help Tooru up.

 

“…Oikawa?” Suga’s concern reaches Tooru’s ears and Tooru would appreciate it more if he was not dying of embarrassment. “Are you—”

 

Tooru can hear Suga’s voice, soft and filling up with more concern. It makes his heart flutter, but Tooru also hears Suga scrambling from his seat to his feet to get over the table so that he can check up on Tooru. His heart begins thumping harder in his chest until it rings in his ears and Tooru’s face burns up with embarrassment. He can’t deal with this right now—not in front of the whole university population, not with the spectacular fall that Tooru has just showcased.

 

“STOP!” Tooru yells instinctively as he scrambles to his feet so that he can make his escape. “You’ve got the wrong person!”


	17. Day 7: Future | Free Prompt

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Val's Day dearest Oikawa/Sugawara shippers!  
> A huge thank you to everyone for their support! And a mega shout out to [Jeannette](http://archiveofourown.org/users/paltita/profile) for encouraging me these last 17 days! I couldn't have done it without you.

Koushi stands behind the desk and watches as Oikawa’s back disappears from view. Koushi doesn’t think he’s ever seen anyone run that fast before. It’s an odd sight. Koushi doesn’t know whether to be offended or entertained.

 

“He ran didn’t he?” Koushi swallows, cheeks a little red with embarrassment.

 

“He did,” Yamaguchi confirms but is sweet enough to try and give Oikawa reason. “Um… maybe something scared him.”

 

“That’d be me,” Koushi mumbles a little dejectedly.

 

But Koushi has work to do, so he can’t continue to be gloomy about it. Setting a smile onto his face, Koushi sits back down on his chair and waves the next student forward. After directing a few around campus, Iwaizumi comes up and frowns at him.

 

“Don’t tease him too much,” Iwaizumi says.

 

Koushi smiles pleasantly because there are still new students lingering around, “I didn’t even do anything today.”

 

“I meant later,” Iwaizumi glares, but does click his tongue. “He’s not usually that cowardly…”

 

Koushi chuckles quietly, “Then please take care of our little crow as well.”

 

“You…” Iwaizumi glares at Koushi and Koushi fights the urge to laugh harder at how Iwaizumi falters at the mention of Hinata. “Aren’t as nice as he says you are.”

 

Koushi curls the corners of his lips and closes his eyes for his most easygoing eye smile. Iwaizumi is also a good friend, more so than he appears to be. Koushi is glad that Oikawa has someone like that to ground him. After one final intense glare, Iwaizumi leaves so that Koushi can resume is work. Koushi wants to continue as normal, but he’s a little more absentminded than usual.

 

Koushi didn’t expect Oikawa to be here, but it’s not like he was avoiding it either. Having it happen naturally might be better than planning for it. However, Oikawa had denied his identity and ran away immediately. Koushi would laugh at absurdity of it all, because he recognises Oikawa’s chestnut hair, his broad shoulders and the way Oikawa’s body moves when he walks but Koushi can’t. No matter how much he’s smiling right now, Oikawa’s third rejection still hurts.

 

“Sugawara-sempai.”

 

“Hm?” Koushi hums as he turns to Yamaguchi. “What is it?”

 

“Your shift is over,” Yamaguchi points out kindly. “You can go now.”

 

Koushi looks down at his watch and then up at Yamaguchi with a smile of gratitude. Neither of them comments on how Koushi has been sitting there absently for an extra half an hour. Koushi appreciates that Yamaguchi is sensible.

 

“Thanks,” Koushi says. “You’ll be alright here?”

 

“Yes!” Yamaguchi nods. “Get home safely!”

 

Koushi hums in agreement and gets up to leave the tent. Home might be a good place to be after such a busy day. Curling into bed would be nice too, since Koushi has questions he wants answers to. But Koushi might actually end up teasing Oikawa instead because that’s the easiest thing to do. Unfortunately, Koushi doesn’t dream that night or any nights after that.

 

 

 

 

 

Their friends—the ones that they shared but Oikawa didn’t know—plan an intervention. It’s annoying for all the parties watching to see both Suga and Oikawa mope around. Suga is actually a sight to see, but Oikawa’s moping needs to be cut down, because he does that often enough, even when Suga isn’t in the picture.

 

To get them to meet, the intervention starts with threats. Yaku and Akaashi are assigned the task of persuading Suga and they’ve very effective.

 

“What could be scarier than Kageyama?” Akaashi asks and Suga frowns.

 

“Nothing,” Suga admits because Suga has worked hard to overcome that fear.

 

Yaku smiles at him, proudly. “There you have it.”

 

 

 

 

 

Oikawa is stuck with Kuroo and Bokuto. They don’t even speak to Oikawa directly about it and they still manage to make his life hell.

 

“What?” Bokuto yells loudly in the library to make his point. “Ushijima?!”

 

Kuroo nods, sternly. “Yep. Ushijima.”

 

“Oh god,” Bokuto frowns. “Did he say yes?”

 

“Well,” Kuroo licks his lips, pretending to look a little concerned. “You know Sugawara. He’s nice. Doesn’t say no without a reason.”

 

“Right,” Bokuto nods along. “He needs to fix that habit.”

 

“Or someone to stop him,” Kuroo hums in agreement. “But a date with Ushijima. Can you believe it?”

 

Oikawa had stormed over and slammed his hand on the table, demanding more information. He’s fuming so much he doesn’t notice the way Bokuto and Kuroo look at each other, silently celebrating their victory. It’s all a lie of course, but Oikawa doesn’t need to know that.

 

(Oikawa also gets banned from the library for a month so that means no hiding around shelves of 610.)

 

 

 

 

 

Tooru knows that Hajime is annoyed. Honestly, Tooru would be annoyed too, if Hajime were pacing around their apartment, from the bedroom to the front door only to go back inside and come back out with a different set of clothing on.

 

“Are you actually going out this time,” Hajime huffs.

 

Tooru is in the middle of picking out his clothes. It’s just the university, but if Tooru is going to go and see Suga (finally, officially, dear god), he needs to be presentable. Tooru has to be appealing enough to knock Ushijima out of the game.

 

“What,” Hajime teases, “Should I lend you my suit?”

 

“Iwa-chan!” Tooru fusses, still going through his closet. “Why would I wear a suit?!”

 

Hajime shrugs, “Since it’s so important.”

 

“Ah, damn it!” Tooru complains, grabbing a jacket. “I’m going okay, I’m going!”

 

This time, Tooru does actually get out of the house. When he wants to come back in, he realises that he can’t because he doesn’t have his keys. Tooru knocks on the door but Hajime ignores his pleas for mercy, telling him that he can’t come back inside until he’s meet Suga. Immediately, Tooru knows that Hajime had hidden his keys on purpose.

 

“I hate you!” Tooru yells at the door before storming off.

 

Tooru walks to the university, pace changing from slow to quick. He’s excited, but at the same time, scared and confused. Suga had lied to him on several occasions. Tooru needs to talk about that too. Despite trying to be slow, Tooru arrives at the university in record time. Glaring at his watch, Tooru curses himself for thinking too deeply to notice. But he’s here now and there’s Ushijima to take care of. Tooru cannot back down, so he heads right to their agreed meeting location.

 

In the park that they had agreed to be at, Suga sits on a bench with a small stack of postcards on his lap. Those are for Tooru, just as promised. Taking a deep breath, Tooru readies himself to walk over. It’ll be just like every other time, except this time, Tooru will get to hear Suga’s voice and Suga’s laughter. Tooru advances confidently, slowly so that he doesn’t make a fool of himself but then Suga turns towards him and waves with a small smile and Tooru is falling over his own feet. There’s no way Suga can be more angelic than he already is in the dream but he _is_. God damn it—it’s like Tooru’s limbs are out of his control.

 

“Oikawa!” Suga exclaims, rushing over and kindly offering Tooru a hand—but not without a laugh. “Are you alright?”

 

“Yes!” Tooru replies, jump right to his feet. “I’m fine! Perfect. Great.”

 

“You’re rambling,” Suga points out and Tooru wants to cry—he knows he is but he can’t even stop himself.

 

“Um,” Tooru clears his throat. “I… it’s nice to finally meet you. I’m sorry for running away last time.”

 

“Apology accepted,” Suga answers but not without a bite. “But you really do need to stop running.”

 

“Then you should stop lying to me,” Tooru states, trying not to pout.

 

Suga is firm with Tooru in return, “You didn’t recognise me.”

 

“That doesn’t justify it,” Tooru retorts.

 

“I know,” Suga admits and Tooru is a little bit stunned by his honesty. “I’m sorry I lied.”

 

“You stopped coming to the Ethics class!” Tooru accuses to pick at Suga’s faults because Suga had thrown him off course. “Were you avoiding me?”

 

“Was not,” Suga laughs and Tooru wishes that laughter didn’t do things to him—like weaken his resolve. “I help out with the Disability Liaison Unit. I was just taking notes for another student that week.”

 

“You went on a date with Ushiwaka-chan!” Tooru accuses, glaring as hard as he can.

 

Suga blinks and his face falls. Tooru gasps quietly, because he didn’t mean to say that. It’s not just his limbs today. Tooru can’t control his mouth either. Tooru hates that he hates to lose. Just because Suga is retorting, doesn’t mean that Tooru needs to fight back. This isn’t what he’s meant to be doing today.

 

“ _Ushiwaka-chan_?” Suga responds, titling his head slightly to display his confusion. “Who is that?”

 

“Ushijima Wakatoshi,” Tooru confirms.

 

“I wouldn’t go on a date with anyone,” Suga tells him. “And definitely not with Ushijima-san.”

 

“But…” Tooru stares at Suga. “I heard Kuroo-chan and Bokuto-chan…”

 

Suga sighs. It’s comes to mind a bit slowly, but Tooru thinks that he might have been played. Tooru has the urge to pull his phone out of his pocket to dial either Kuroo or Bokuto’s number and yell at them, but he has to stay calm. Tooru can deal with them thoroughly later. Despite how annoyed he is at his friends, Tooru is elated at the fact that Suga hasn’t been on any dates.

 

“I like you, so I wouldn’t go on a date with anyone else,” Suga confesses to Tooru and Tooru can see that Suga’s cheeks are a little red, “You don’t have to give me an answer though.”

 

“Huh?” Tooru jumps to a start. He doesn’t get it.

 

“Well, I’m sure you’ve got plenty of people lining up for your affection,” Suga explains. “I thought I’d stop being a coward and just say it.”

 

“So you don’t like me enough to want me?” Tooru questions, irritated.

 

Suga laughs at him and god, why does that laughter sound so majestic?

 

“I never said that,” Suga shakes his head. “Don’t put words into my mouth, Oikawa.”

 

“Then why don’t you want to hear my answer?” Tooru presses because he really doesn’t understand it.

 

“You might not have the answer I want to hear yet,” Suga replies easily.

 

For Tooru, _yet_ is the key word. Suga’s not giving up on him yet. The thought has Tooru on cloud nine, but he has to fight back the smile that’s trying to take over his face.

 

“So you like me?” Tooru asks, hoping to hear the confession again.

 

Suga nods, “I do.”

 

Suga is sincere, voice clear without a tremble in it. His eyes too, are bright as they look into Tooru’s. Now that Tooru is standing here, directly across Suga, Tooru realises that never stood a chance.

 

“Then,” Tooru answers and waits patiently for Suga’s lips to curl. “I’ll be in your care.”

 

In the distance, Tooru hears a cheer of _fucking finally!_ that causes Suga to laugh. Tooru has to agree. It’s been a long time coming but he’s finally here—right where he wants to be. Lifting his head, Suga finally graces Tooru with that bright smile that Tooru has been waiting for. Tooru’s heart flutters ever so slightly because it’s definitely the best look on him.

 

_Fin._


End file.
